Customer Reviews:
A snapshot of a unique live performer.......2004-03-03
Of all the concerts I have attended the one which was the most fun was Jonathan Richman at the Belle Angele in Edinburgh in 1996. Backed with a three piece band (whether they were formally accredited with being the Modern Lovers I can no long remember), he exuded warmth and humour and exuberance unusual in someone with (then) a quarter century's experience of performing live behind him. Nearly eight years on, fans and newcomers can see what a San Francisco crowd was treated to in 2002.
The concert could not be more different from live classics such as the Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" (featuring former Modern Lover Jerry Harrison). There are five instruments at play here - Jonathan's accomplished acoustic guitar playing, Tommy Larkin's minimal drums, Jonathan's voice, handclaps and the audience on chorus duties in some numbers.
The concert starts off worryingly as Jonathan appears old for the first time in his 50 odd years - the baggy shirt and goatee and doleful eyes are reminiscent of former American Music Club mainman Mark Eitzel of all people. After barely half a song the humour emerges although it takes much longer for Jonathan fully to relax.
Jonathan Richman has a rich back catalogue of songs to perform. Two here date from 1972 or so (Pablo Picasso and Girlfriend), one from 1982 (Give Paris One More Chance) and the rest from the early nineties onwards. More than nearly any other singer, Jonathan Richman speaks in a direct, affecting, honest manner - he is an underrated lyricist and self-deprecating and wry in his delivery. Even the songs in Spanish seem to strike an emotional chord.
The principal criticism of this disc is that all the songs are rather samey - a point accentuated by the spartan drums and guitar format. While Richman and Larkin are the antithesis of prog rock indulgence the acoustic solos (well executed though they are) do wear slightly after a time. Compounded with the straightforward cinematography, there is no musical development during the course of the performance (save for the increasing ease mentioned above).
However, as no one else does what Jonathan Richman does nearly as well, he should be treasured for what he is, warts and all. The two interviews in the bonus section are excellent: not only does Jonathan seem a decade younger than in the concert (thankfully shorn of his facial hair) but he speaks with a self-deprecating frankness about his career.
All in all, well worth your affection.
Rockin' Shoppin' Centre!.......2004-03-02
I've been waiting a looong time for this - Mr. Richman finally succumbs to the Modern World and releases a DVD - he takes a little while to warm up with his banter, but he's off into his trade-mark dancing early on and the show is a real good one. The bonuses are the unreleased tracks and the idiosyncratic interviews at the end, where Jo Jo comes across as beautifully strange, as only he can.
Not as good as an audience live recording of a show at Manchester University that I've seen, but awesome nonetheless, simply because it's Jonathan. (And Tommy.)
The Plaza.......2004-01-25
You watched the movie 'There's Something About Mary', right? Well the first two people shown in that film are a couple of exceptional human beings - Tommy Larkins and Jonathan Richman. At last you have the chance to witness these two perform live in your very own living room. And what a performance it is.
After the first couple of tracks, you begin to understand what these guys are about. They are about love and passion for everyday living and everyday people. They'll make you remember things that are still important today, but you left behind years ago. And they are all about fun.
If you've never seen them perform before, this is a perfect starting place for you before you go to one of their shows. (Tommy and Jonathan are over in the UK in April!)
The tracks are mostly from the last album (Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eyeshadow), some old Jonathan Classics and quite a few brand new ones that they have been performing at shows in the last year or so. All absolutely wonderful to listen to and dance to. It's truly amazing what one guitar, one small drum kit and one voice can do to your soul.
Unmissable. And the bonus on the dvd has to be the interviews with Jonathan. It's about time he spoke out and set the record straight.
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- Keane - Strangers [2005]
- Keith Sweat - The Best Of [2005]
- Kiss Symphony - The DVD
- Kylie Minogue - Kylie Fever 2002 - Live In Manchester : Limited Edition
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- Marillion - Recital Of The Script [1983]
- Marilyn Manson - Guns, Gods & Government [UMD Mini for PSP] [2001]
- Matchbox Twenty - Show - A Night In The Life Of [2003]
- Megadeth - That One Night - Live In Buenos Aires (NTSC)
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Her Mystery Not of High Heels
There's Something About Jonathan : Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
You Must Ask the Heart
Not So Much to Be Loved As to Love
I Jonathan
![Jonathan Richman: "Take Me to the Plaza" [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/219M1HQB7WL.jpg)
