Customer Reviews

Bad Brains Live - CBGB 1982

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This DVD gives a great snapshot of a time and place--well, three nights in 1982 when Bad Brains were at, or about to reach their peak. Technically, there are many blemishes such as varying audio quality and shaky blurry camera work. However, it's striking how effective some of the focused shots on individuals in the crowd really capture the feeling of those shows. (I wasn't at those shows but did see them the same year.) For example, there were tons of people jumping onto and off of the stage... no big security people standing guard. One dude was just sort of standing there on the stage until HR finally pushing him off.

The images add context to the wildness of the music. The reggae tunes add an interesting balance. But what I really walked away with (I saw this in a theater tonight in Portland) was that Bad Brains really put their heart into their work. No matter what you do, you can watch this and say "wow, if you're going to do something you might as well go all the way". It's an inspirational movie.

I should add that this DVD is simply a bunch of concert footage (at least what I viewed). It's not a bunch of old rockers making some after-the-fact comments like "the first time I heard them I knew there was something special" like you see in some videos.

It's a great sing-along too.

The Bad Brains are to me the MOST crucial and hardest of ANY punk-hardcore bands as they did transcend those genres of rock 'n roll and their live shows were pure energy and adrenalin flow! I was privaleged to catch them live a few times during their heyday, and it would be hard to put into words just exactly what I experienced as it was beyond music! and of course you'll never be able to completely experience it now, but this dvd release is probably as close as you could possibly ever come! recorded around the time of probably recording the first full-length lp "Rock for light" ('83, produced by The Cars' Ric Ocasek) the 3 shows these performances were taken from are exquisite! The rock rips, and then the punkers in the audience are lobotomized into a peaceful trance thru reggae, they are taken from one extreme to the farthest point from it! For any Bad Brains fan, this is a MUST HAVE! DE-STROY BA-BY-LON!

Wow!!! Just Wow! I'm stunned that this even exists. Always loved the Brains. I wasn't one of the people who was at CB's all the time, but have seen these guys a few times. Seeing them now is still cool, but nothing like seeing them back then.

Despite my glowing comments on this DVD, it's not for everyone. It is a very raw performance in a cramped CBGB's club. Camera angles aren't the greatest for capturing the band (much of it is shot from behind the band). Sound is a bit chaotic (to be expected once you see it as the stage is often filled with fans along with the band, and mic's get knocked over fairly frequently). You won't find slick MTV production here, but then that wouldn't be the point, would it. This is punk rock. It's not supposed to be polished. This DVD completely captures the scene at the club. And despite my coments on it's lack of polish, the picture is crisp and the audio clear (even with mics being knocked over often). And heck, this is Bad Brains playing CB's in '82. How amazing is that! Just got through watching it and was completely floored. These guys were the real deal and in this they are on top of their game. If you're a fan of the Brains then checking this out is a must. If you're interested in what the punk scene was like at CBGB's, this DVD does an exellent job at displaying it.

I'm still stunned. Wow!

I still remember the first time I put Rock for Light in my CD player. There are some albums that take a while to grow on you and then there are those that blow your mind seconds after they hit your eardrums. This was one of th latter for me. Bad Brains were quite simply one of the most awesome forces in rock history and this live DVD captures them at their career's very apex at the punk Mecca, CBGB, and puts to rest any doubts about who the greatest live band in hardcore was. If you know the first thing about this scene, you absolutely must own this DVD, which collects songs from two shows at the legendary club. If you don't know hardcore punk, then now's as good a time as any to learn.

During the first set, one can't help but notice the crowd benind the stage. There is an asian girl sharing a seat with a black man next to a leather-clad punk with a blonde woman in a flannel shirt in front of them all. This really illustrates the band's core musical message. The Brains brought people together, unifying them with the universal languages of musical fury, hardcore passion, and mellow reggae grooves. Punk was the epitome of whiteness until these guys came in and turned it up to the nth degree, forever altering the cultural landscape and creating an entire movement in the process. Hardcore began with the Bad Brains and couldn't survive as a cultural force without them. In 1982, the punk philosophy was that there was no line between the band and the fans, the performer's stage was the fan's stage and this concert shows us the upper limits of a truly energized crowd. There are several instances where the stage becomes a massive mosh pit and the band is literally swallowed by waves of fans dancing, stage diving, and even providing impromptu backing vocals to the songs. This is the real deal; the performance is so energetic and the crowd so nuts that I found it hard to even sit down while I was watching it. I wanted to be there. How many times have you heard people brag about a particularly "insane" No Doubt or Good Charlotte concert they attended? "OMG! People were, like jumping around and yelling and stuff and this one guy got on the stage and jumped off. It was CRAZY!!!" Well, pop this DVD in and show those ignorant kids how it was done back in the day. I want that scene back.

This DVD -like all hardcore performances of the day- suffers a bit from the low-budget nature of the scene. The sound and picture aren't bad, but they are basically what you'd get taping a local rock show with a handheld video camera. The angles are set at sometimes annoying places and bassist Darryl Jennifers only appears briefly a few times, usually standing off to the side out of the lights. But his playing is typically powerful and ensures the viewer of his presence, regardless. Dr. Know is one of my favorite guitarists of all time and appears to be having the time of his life, seldom losing his grin as he tears through awe-inspiring riffs and killer solos with no visible effort whatsoever. HR (Human Rights) is captured here at his very best, his voice is manic and powerful as he shakes his dreads and generally thrashes it up, occasionally finding the time to share his microphone with some of the audience members eager to join in. Drummer Earl Hudson shows his stuff as well, and with one of the cameras positioned right behind him we get a few shots of some of his amazing playing. At one point, the lights in the club go out and the screen is pitch black but the music doesn't even miss a beat. These guys were awesome.

The special features here are slim, with about two minutes of pointless fan interviews and an audio track of "I and I Survive" from the CD version of this. Personally, I'd recommend Youth Are Getting Restless: Live in Amsterdam if you're looking for a great live Bad Brains album because the sound is fantastic, but for a performance video from the 80's hardcore scene, you can't do better than this DVD. It's a little less than an hour long and a few songs repeat as this is culled from more than one show, but honestly, if the worst thing about a DVD is having to listen to "Riot Squad" or "The Big Takeover" more than once than you're doing all right. If you haven't discovered the Bad Brains, then go pick up the unofficial debut Bad Brains, the aforememntioned Rock for Light, and the mellower I Against I and prepare to be blown away.

Wow so amazing that this FINALLY came out. This would mean an official concert from one of the best bands ever! There have been many bootleg concerts of the Brains over the years. I remember owning a mint VHS copy of a concert from circa 1986 playing, of all places, Daytona Beach MTV! But there has never been an official concert and it's about time! What better era to catch Bad Brains but in their early days of 1982. Although they had been around for a good 5 years at the time, they were still a "new" band. This concert footage, restored humbly and amazingly by the way, is primo early Brains at their purest and most aggresive. You can envision the birth of the New York Hardcore scene just from watching this show. HR and the band are young'ns and full of endless energy. The crowd goes crazy and this might even be the best video document of the now closed CBGB's. This dvd was released just around the closing of CBGB's. A 1982 Bad Brains at CBGB's concert is probably the BEST way to represent and pay tribute to CB's! Bad Brains are right there at the top with The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, etc of important artists to get their start at CB's. One thing I must mention which is a negative, is the lack of footage of Daryl on bassie. Although CB's was defintley small and with crowd people clogging the stage, Daryl was off to the side but completely obscured for most of the show! He had to stand behind Earl drumming because of the lack of space on the famous CB's stage. Oh well, still a defintie MUST OWN for any Bad Brains and hardcore/punk fans!! I have recently seen both HR and Doc and Darryl playing on seperate occasions, and they are getting up there in age my brothers! Hard to believe this footage is almost 25 YEARS ago!! The songs cover basically the first two Bad Brains albums, self titled and the Ric Ocasek( of The Cars ) produced "Rock for Light." "Rock" came out in early 1983 so this concert was only a few months before. It is also culled from 3 seperate performances in '82, but it shown as a concert. This document will cement the Bad Brains legend as the greates punk/hardcore band of all time, and that is not an overstatement. I would like to see a concert dvd release of "I against I" era Brains, which is also an amazing year for hardcore. 1986 the Brains re-gropued to do another classic and also saw The Cro-Mags first full length, "the Age of Quarrel."

I'll get the technical stuff out of the way: There are audio issues; there are camera issues.

Overlooking that minor crap, this concert footage is just plain amazing.

Oh, the violence is incredible.

The energy will rip your pubic hairs off.

The Bad Brains were obviously a force to be reckoned with. This crap is phenomenal.

One of the best punk DVD's I own. I own well over forty.

This has got to be one of the best harcore/punk DVDs out there. This realy captures the energy of the show, the tiny stage, the crowd participation its all there. It realy does rank up there with the Minor Threat buff hall show (if you have that DVD you will know what I mean)

All the classic Bad Brains tracks are there and the ratio of harcore reggae is about 70-30%.

Bad Brains have got to be one of the most important early hardcore bands ever and are without doubt up there with Black Flag, Dead Kennedys and others. It has already been gone over the unusual nature of 4 African Americans playing punk but Bad Brains realy were such a unifing band. In the crowd you see punks, skins, black, white (even a fair few females) just enjoying a damn good show.

The quality of the show is exellent (even when the lights go out for a few minutes!) and anyone who has the Minor Threat, Dead kennedys and Black Flag DVDs in their collection will want this one.

One big negative though is the 'bonus material' which cosists of 'interviews' with hardcore kids consisting of them giving their opinion of hardcore (like anyone cares) lasts about 5 minutes er.. seeing as this is a Bad Brains DVD how about a Bad Brains interview? The second peice of 'bonus material' consists of the track 'I and I survive' which it says is 'from the CD' sounds more like it was recorded in someones back room. Would have been a whole lot better if they had not have even bothered putting that stuff on the DVD.

Brings back some memories, kinda makes me sad at the same time. But buy it anyway.

The Bad Brains have always been known for their intensity, but did you know that these guys are probably one of, if not the greatest, live band ever? Live at CBGB captures the highlights (60 minutes) of the Bad Brains' 3 night performance. If you think you have seen crowds go nuts at concerts, you ain't seen nothing until you check out this DVD!
This is the Brains in their hardcore prime, and a MUST BUY for any punk/rock/hardcore fan.

So this is what a New York punk show was like circa 1982! Amazing, blazing music from the baddest band in the land and piles upon piles of kids going nuts over it all. Highly reccomended. Audio is decent and camera keeps it interesting.