Customer Reviews

Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos: Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a timely performance to release on DVD. What with the Stones currently on tour and making themselves relevant yet again, this DVD becomes a touch stone for fans and students of rock'n roll everywhere. It might be easy to forget that the Stones chartered the original pirate ship that is modern Rock n' Roll. All the original attitude, bluster, sound and fury has not been diminished after all the years. On those occasions when the Stones choose to set sail, reviews often dwell on the tarnished treasures they bring to the stage. Gold is gold, you don't need to polish it to establish it's value. It just is. The Stones are the gold standard for modern Rock n' Roll. For that matter, they are also the gold standard for modern Rock n' Roll performance. Stadium, hall or club, the Rolling Stones bring more precious treasure to share than any other band. Their catalogue of songs is vast and impressive . Whatever album or show you identify as the pinnacle of their essence, each is a voyage unlike any other. The sum of the parts, produce a whole that is still the best in all of Rock n' Roll.

Obviously, Keith Richards is a large part of the whole that is the Rolling Stones. Some say he is the Rolling Stones. This DVD proves just how unique and gifted a performer/writer Keith is. Without the Stones show and Mick beside him, Keith just tears into HIS music and almost makes you forget he is a part of the Rolling Stones. Each song stands on it's own. Sure, the Stone's riffs are there but they're Keith's riffs. The Chuck Berry chords, the R & B melodies, the reggae groove, the soulful horn of Bobby Keys, all this adds up. You watch this DVD and cannot help but feel moved by Keith's love of the the music. It shows in his performance. He's not self-conscious or stage struck. He's carried off by the music and so are we.

The highlight for me is HIS version of "Time Is On My Side". With Sarah Dash on lead vocals, you completely forget the Stones version of this song. It reveals the deep soulful base that is at the heart of this song.

Every song is a torrid work-out rhythmically. The band is just superb. They leave lots of space for Keith to play those timely open chords he owns a patent on. Then there is his lead/rhythm solos that are just masterful, subtle moments that punctuate the melody/groove. He finds just the right balance between power and passion when stretching out. It might seem a stretch, but Keith's only rival in this respect is Willie Nelson. Their personality infuses every aspect of the song , every note they play.

The one interesting thing about this DVD is the lack of a true blues number. It seems to suggest that Jagger might be the blues conscience of the Stones. Not to suggest that Keith is uncomfortable in this genre, it is just interesting to consider the absence of a blues number in this performance. This in no way diminishes the set. This DVD is a must. Rolling Stones fans will be astonished at how "happy" Keith is. He holds the stage, he leads the band, he is in full sail.

The one last detail to mention is the sound. I believe the transfer of the video footage is appropriately grainy, but the sound is full on crisp. You hear this show and all the musicians clearly. PLAY LOUD.

When Keith released his first solo album, Talk is Cheap (1988), critics said that it was the best Rolling Stones record in 17 years. It was considered the best record since Exile on Main Street.
This was probably an exaggeration since both Some Girls (1978) and Tatto You (1981) were extraordinary records. But Talk is Cheap was an important album. It was the first solo album by Keith Richards.
After Keith released Talk is Cheap, he went on tour with his new band, The X-Pensive Winos--Waddy Watchel, Sarah Dash, Steve Jordan, and Ivan Neville.
The tour was very successful. It won an award for the best tour in small theaters. And it won the attention of many bootleggers. Keith decided to produce a live record just to stop the circulation of bootlegs. That's why the Live at the Palladium was made.
The concert was indeed a very good one. Keith does some of his best singing ever - I mean it !- and the band is very energetic. Keith's song set is made up mostly by the songs from his solo album- You shouldn't take it so hard, How I wish, Make no mistake, and so on.
There are also an soulful rendition of Time is on my side (sang by Sarah Dash), Too Rude (that Keith recorded the previous year with the Stones for the album Dirty Work), Happy (a vintage Keith from Exile on Main Street) and Connections.
It's really a nice concert and it's really nice to watch.

Great performance, tight band, great sound, great selection of songs!!! The picture is a bit grainy, but it doesn't distract from the enjoyment, because the colors are otherwise bright - it looks like it was meant to be grainy. It's great to see JUST Keith without Parody of Himself Mick distracting from the real star of the show! Keith's in fine voice, and looks his always-cool-self. Fans of Keith, this is a GREAT DVD!!! Great chance to view our hero at his best! Only complaint: wish it were longer!!

Get the bootleg DVD of Keith and the Winos live at the Orpheum in Boston 1993-originally broadcast on japanese TV, this is 2 hours long and is far suoperior to the 1988 show

This is a very good DVD - more or less the complete set during the Winos tour of the time. The sound quality is fine (actually it is better than when I was the Winos in 93), and the angles, etc. are what you would expect for the late 80s. The only problem was that it was shot on video and Richards was forced to have it released in order to plug the hole in the number of bootlegs flooding the market throughout the years. Otherwise, if the docu-concert was a planned one, given to adequate editing, et al., this would have been a masterpiece. Buy it, in any case, its good, and Keith is cool.

I would have given it 5 stars, but the video quality is not the greatest.

Great sound! Great songs. Well worth the money!!

Highlight for me: Too Rude.

Enjoy!

This is a classic performance by the heart and soul of the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards, during one of his "solo" efforts as a result of his ongoing family fued with Mick Opening with a shot of the fabled Hollywood Paladium under neon lights, the film invites you to come into the world of Keith Richards on stage.The concert footage begins with a look at he some of the rituals beforehand and lends to the grittiness of the performance. The long time rocker then appears on stage with his look of death walking , goining through the motions that only years of Rock n Roll can yield. This is for fans of Keith as leader, in his subdued manner pirate swagger as opposed to Mick prancing about. The comparatively stoic Keith lets his guitar licks do the talking but sings in his inimitable raspy vioice that has smoked one too many cigarretes and downed too many vodkas. Richards is a throw back, following the tradition that inspired his work in the form of American bluesmen like Muddy Waters he continues to rock to this day . Whether he is embracing his guitar like a lover or holding it like a weapon, as he slays the audience, there is no doubt that he loves his music. His singing is secondary but this fits his profile perfectly; his everlasting youth is fueled by the audience as a tonic. The hour long tape features twelve songs, including his most known numbers like "Take it so hard ," Time is on My side," and the Stones favorite "Happy." The X-pensive Winos are a work of art, a fine collection of musical pirates collecting booty in the form of fans adulation along the tour. I happened to catch Keith on this solo tour and came away even more impressed with his salt of the earth qualities and musical talents. He connects with his audience, casting a mesmerizing image that haunts; his soul bleeds through his guitar and voice. Keith allows his X-pensive Winos to shine in ther role as backup. Long time Stones session and tour sax man Bobby Keys lends his wailing solos and makes up a considerable part of the guitar based rock band . Sarah Dash croons an unbelieveable version of the Stones classic "Time is on my Side" that is unlike any you may heard before. This is a classic concert and if you are a fan of Keith Richards it will be one to play year after year. I'm not sure why the price is so high but it is a classic performance by the solo Stone deserving of your eyes and ears. If you can find this performance buy it. Recommended for old and new fans of the Stones, especially those that like Keith Richards, the perennial rock n roll legend.

A terrific show. No frills, no additives, not even Mick to cast a shadow -- this time it's Keith front and center. He looks like he's having a great time despite the spotlight glare and seems genuinely touched by all the attention. Lucky for the audience (and for the viewer) Keith's 1988 album "Talk Is Cheap" provided a catalogue of great riff-driven songs, and the straight-ahead presentation -- the edited show barely clocks in at 60 minutes -- is a fan's dream. A couple of oldschool Stones tunes ("Time Is On My Side," "Connection") assure us there's no imminent break-up after Mick and Keith's famous mid-eighties row, and when he breaks into a roaring version of "Happy" from "Exile on Main St." the old lion looks like he means every word. The bootleggers forced this into an official release, at long last, and the DVD itself looks and sounds great. Cheers, Keith!

Great band, great singer great songs.This was put out for all us keith richards fans cause ther bootlegers were putting out their copies.This show was shot so good.it's almost like you were there.Put the whole show out and for dvd extras put on the promo videos from"Talk is cheap". Buy this you won't be disappointed.

I've always liked the Stones and especially Keith Richards, with all he's done to himself it's a miracle he's still with us performing as good as ever.