Back in the 60s and early 70s, American TV shows such as American Bandstand, Shindig and Hootenanny featured popular rock bands lip-synching to their most recent hit. Things were different in England. BEAT CLUB showcased the hottest acts playing their music live. Rhino has culled a number of these performances into a three DVD set guaranteed to satisfy any rock fan. "Guitar Gods" highlights some of the world's best guitar players in electric live performances. The quality of the music on "Guitar Gods" is just a cut above that found on the "Psychedelic High" DVD from the same series.
"Jingo" by Santana is a great Latin rock jam. The visuals aren't very exciting but who cares with a performance as powerful as the one captured here.
"One More Saturday Night" by The Grateful Dead provides ample proof why so many fans followed them around the world all those years. It is an excellent performance. My teenage daughter was relieved to find our that the good looking singer (Bob Weir) wasn't the one who died. Oh well, I was young once too.
"Definitely Maybe" isn't the best Jeff Beck you will ever hear but so-so Jeff Beck is still light years ahead of most of today's guitar players.
"Good Morning Little School Girl " shows just what a great, and sadly over-looked rocker Alvin Lee and Ten Years After was. This is a powerful performance. I dare you to watch "Woodstock" and deny that the highlight of the movie was the set by Ten Years After. I was a bit disappointed in "Johnny B. Goode" by Johnny Winter. Growing up, one of my favorite albums was the live album "Johnny Winter And." This performance doesn't live up to the quality of the performance on the album. "Walk Away" by The James Gang featuring Joe Walsh is pretty good. My only complaint is that the DVD cuts off the first seconds of the performance. I also would have rather had "Funk 49" on the disk but life just isn't fair.I had a lot of fun teasing my daughter about "Heartbreaker" by B.B. King. The old man still has it in him. He makes Lucille wail on this great bluesy song.
Duane Eddy's trademark twang is ever-present on "Peter Gunn." It was great to see him live, but the song is limited and repetitious. I still like it, but you don't get to hear Duane cut loose.
I don't know what other songs Jimi Hendrix performed on BEAT CLUB, but I wished they had chosen another song other than "Hey Joe" to include in this anthology. Jimi is always great to watch, but he had so many great songs. Why rehash one that everyone has seen?
Delaney & Bonnie and friends' "Tribute to Robert
Johnson" featuring Eric Clapton is one of the highlights of the DVD. I've
been a fan of theirs ever since I saw "Vanishing Point" as a drive
in theater in Pompano Beach
"Don't Look Around" by Mountain is my hands down favorite from this DVD. Leslie West, Felix Papillardi and Corky Lange must have lost 30 pounds of water weight sweating through this power driven rocker. This is high tension, bone crushing rock. This song alone is worth the price of the DVD.
Unfortunately this DVD also includes the lame "Happy Jack" by The Who which is also on the "Psychedelic High" DVD from the same series