Los Lobos - Live At The Fillmore

Starring:Los Lobos
Studio: Mammoth / Pgd
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

It took a mere 30 years for Los Lobos to produce their first DVD, and the legendary East Los Angeles band has done it right with Live at the Fillmore. Of course, "legendary" is sometimes synonymous with "really good, but not so well known"; as guitarist Cesar Rosas wryly observes in the brief documentary accompanying this generous show (21 songs, drawn from their entire recording career, in a little less than two hours), many acts who once opened for Los Lobos, like Dwight Yoakam, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Melissa Etheridge, went on to eclipse them in sales and popularity. But that takes nothing away from the considerable power of this performance, which finds the now-seven-piece band rocking with a vengeance. Longtime drummer Louie Perez plays guitar for the most part, joining Rosas and David Hidalgo in a three-guitar front line, and songs like "The Big Ranch," "I Walk Alone," and the crunching "Charmed" find Los Lobos coming on like a combination of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and many of the artists who once played at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, from Cream and Jimi Hendrix to the Grateful Dead and Santana. Of course, they can play pretty much any other style as well, including Cuban jazz ("Maricela"), Mexican-cum-zydeco ("How Much Can I Do?") and even mariachi-tinged reggae ("Maria Christina"); and that's to say nothing of unclassifiable fare like "Kiko and the Lavender Moon," still one of the best of Los Lobos's many superb original songs. Recorded in July 2004, Los Lobos: Live at the Fillmore is a fine representation of one of America's best bands. As Rosas observes backstage, "We love you, man. Don't ever shave." --Sam Graham
A CD of the concert is also available.

Customer Reviews:

could do better.......2007-06-14

I read some reviews saying recording quality was average, but the whole performance was not exciting. I love Los Lobos and I think this must be one of their most uninteresting performances. To release it is sheer suicide. I was hoping for much more traditional influenced guitar playing and lively atmosphere. To skimp on the budget with sound quality really ruins a recording. Sorry guys :(

One legenday band on a S.F. night.......2007-02-27

Quite possibly one of America's best bands, Los Lobos demonstrate on this DVD why they have been making music that is consistently good over the past thirty years. They play a unique brand of music that crosses different genres but relies heavily on their blues and ethnicity. This disc shows why they have one of the most loyal fan bases reminiscent of the Grateful Dead. I follow their fan based boards and plenty of people made the trek to be part of this disc. As for the music itself presented here,well, it just blows you away. The catchy and infectious nature of their repertoire is only matched by their showmanship that is part laid back cool, part long extended jams with room for improvisation that results in signature Los Lobos. Through in some Spanglish songs and you've got East L.A.'s finest export. Highlights of the disc are the closing number, "Mas y Mas" that features Robert Randolph giving a sizzling pedal steel guitar solo puntuated by Steve Berlin's wild sax blowing and a give and take guitar session between Randolph and Rosas. The extended jam is similar to another legendary perfomance at the Fillmore by the Allman Brothers when thet recorded "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." Other highlights include the haunting version of "Kiko and The Lavendar Moon" that features smoky voacals by Rosas and Hidalgo with breaks for funky cumbiaesque accordian and penetrating keyboards by Berlin,the upbeat Spanglish "Luz De Mi Vida," that was dedicated to "all the homies from East L.A. in the crowd" with it's three guitar assualt and Berlin on flute suite, the mellow as it gets at a wolf boyz concert "Rita," the heavily blues infected "Chains of Love" that would make any veteran bluesman smile,the guitar heavy "Viking" that features Vincent Hidalgo as a guest for a four guitar bombardment,the norteno "Mexico Americano" that sounds like Mexican-American zydeco,the back in the day classic "I Got Loaded," the you can't help but dance "Cumbia Raza" and "Shakin' Shakin' Shakes" which is led by David Hidalgo vocals. This is a very entertaining disc to hear and see the wolf boyz doing their magic on the crowd. Watching it is almost as good as being at one of their shows. Having attended many I would recommend this disc but be sure to catch them in the flesh.

I've seen the light.......2007-02-24

After 30 years in the business, you can't find a better time at a concert. It is so refreshing when a band looses the attitude and posing and concentrates on the music. These guys don't care what they look like or what brand of designer jeans they are wearing, they just rock the house and provide the best in music. This dvd is a testament to how well a band can rock your life. It's the next best thing to seeeing them live.

Nothing unique.......2007-02-22

I've seen Los Lobos several times live and do enjoy their music a lot. This concert is quite similar to any average night for them. For their only DVD they should have done something special in East LA. They're way too hip for San Frantimewarpfrisco and the decrepit vibes of the Fillmore and its sick old hippies.

5 Stars if not for the mixing!.......2006-09-27

This is difficult. On the one hand it's great to have a Los Lobos dvd (even though there's no Don't Worry Baby!!!). On the other hand who on earth did the mixing. Ok the vocals aren't always spot on but that doesn't really bother me as this is LIVE music and I can promise you when you're at a show you never notice. No, it's the guitar mix. When David Hidaldo does a solo it should leap out at you but here on this dvd it is so quiet you have to strain to hear it and even that doesn't do it. But like I said this is difficult because I hate to say anything negative where Los Lobos are concerned. They are without a doubt one of America's best bands and their performance here easily shows why. Sadly in the UK this dvd is no longer available (not sure about the States). Hopefully they'll either re-release it (if so with a remix please) or there will be a new one. Even with the mixing problem this is still a fantastic dvd. If you see a copy it is definitely worth buying.

DVD:

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