How Music Lives On Through the Power of Concert Films

What Makes Concert Films Great?

Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire, Madonna voguing onstage, and a Hells Angel member stabbing a Rolling Stones fan all appear in concert films, but these don’t define what makes a concert film great. Concert films have the opportunity to reach a widespread audience of fans while also serving as a time capsule for a moment in music history. Viewers can feel like they're in the crowd by capturing raw emotions and reactions to a legendary performance or someone’s favorite band. Additionally, with cameras focusing on performers the viewers can see the raw energy they display. From cinematography, directing, stage presence, lighting, and choreography, it should all exemplify the artist's highest intention to showcase their concert. Concert films are stuck in time and can show significant moments in music history while serving as another form of artistic expression for the musician. Intimate moments with the artists are another factor of the concert film that adds to the sincerity of what goes into putting on their show and their creative process. However, it took some time to reach the standard of the concert film genre that we have today.

The Emergence of Concert Films

Concert films started to popularize after the success of Woodstock in 1970 but a handful came before it. The first substantial concert film can be attributed to Adventure in Music, a 1944 concert film of an orchestra playing classical compositions. Adventure in Music didn’t make the waves like later concert films would but set the path for them. In 1959, Jazz on a Summer’s Day premiered at the Venice Film Festival, which featured performances from the Newport Jazz Festival. Some performances include Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, and Chuck Berry. 1964 marked the release of The T.A.M.I. Show, which is known for being the first televised live performance of James Brown and also features The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, and Marvin Gaye, among others. These three concert films can be seen as fundamental to the layout of what the concert film entails. However, in 1970, the landscape of the concert film significantly changed. 

Woodstock became such a massive success it made $34.5 million at the box office (over $270 million adjusted for inflation) and even won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. The rawness of this documentary highlighting such an important moment in music history led to it serving as a time capsule not only for the music but for the counterculture movement. Performances from Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, Sly and the Family Stone, and Santana encapsulate this movement in the U.S. at this time, which makes the viewers feel as if they’re among the crowd. By using interviews of the attendees mixed throughout performances the film spotlights the mini-community being formed. Setting this new standard for concert films led to some of the best concert films of the 70s. 

Concert Films of the 70s

Some of the greatest acts of the 70s got their own concert films, including The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, and Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii exemplifies the artistic integrity of this band, using cinematography and lighting that differs from other concert films at the time by looking more cinematic rather than a documentary. The uses of tracking shots, backlighting, and wide shots of the group walking on a mountainside, play into this feature-film aesthetic. Gimme Shelter is also comparable to a feature film and not just a documentary by the overarching narrative of the film. Following The Rolling Stones as they play a show at Madison Square Garden and plan their now infamous Altamont Free Concert. Not only can you see a band in their prime perform, but the audience can peek behind the curtain and see what went into planning this show and the chaos that soon followed. Multiple fights, a stabbing, Hells Angels members hired as security guards, and even Mick Jagger getting punched in the face are among the mayhem that takes place in this film. The legacy of Gimme Shelter is now known for being an honest reflection of America, and the counterculture movement at this time. What was supposed to be a movement built on peace and love delved into mayhem and violence during just one concert. Documentarians were known for their contributions to this genre and no one did it better than D. A. Pennebaker.

D. A. Pennebaker and Monterey Pop

Pennebaker’s filmography includes Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1979), Depeche Mode: 101 (1989), Down from the Mountain (2000), John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band: Sweet Toronto (1971), and Monterey Pop (1968). Monterey Pop stands out from this list for not only the significance of this festival but also for the raw directing style he utilizes. Being onstage while Jimi Hendrix lights his guitar on fire captures this moment of rock and roll gaining a new star and image. The camera stays on Jimi while he burns his guitar and swings it around before showing the crowd being shocked and astonished. In real time the Monterey Pop film was able to capture how people reacted to a moment of rock and roll history serving as a testament for future generations. Pennebaker also differs from other contemporaries of his time by using experimental editing utilizing quick, unconventional cuts in a sequence that distinguishes this film from other concert films and also reshuffles the lineup of the performances to align with his vision of the event. Although Pennebaker was a documentarian, some of the best concert films have come from feature-film directors.

The Last Waltz and Stop Making Sense

Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street) and Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Something Wild) both have respectably directed two of the highest acclaimed concert films ever. The Last Waltz (1978), directed by Scorsese, spotlights The Band as they play their final show together in what is presented as a celebration. Guest stars from Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Ringo Starr, Van Morrison, and Bob Dylan join The Band for an unforgettable performance. However, the performance itself isn’t what makes this film remarkable but rather the addition of the interviews conducted by Scorsese throughout showing vulnerable and intimate moments with members of The Band. Showing this legendary band reflecting on their careers and sharing anecdotes throughout their time playing together shows a glimpse of dealing with success, the adversities that came with touring, motives for walking away from The Band, and what life looks like after The Band splitting up. Frontman Robbie Robertson speaks about other artists that “the road” has taken from us and lists Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Jimi Hendrix, to name a few. He then goes on to say, “It’s a goddamn impossible way of life.” 

Stop Making Sense (1984), directed by Jonathan Demme, shows the Talking Heads performance over three nights at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater. Stop Making Sense stands out from the rest of the concert films for its utilization of choreography, staging concept, focus on performers, and stage presence (including David Byrne’s big suit). David Byrne’s concept for the staging makes it for this concert film to have a voice of its own as well as the genius choreography. Byrne sometimes wiggles his knees and shoulders, jogs in place, or even does a duet with a lamp. Byrne used the opportunity of a concert film as another form of artistic expression by featuring the band's unique energy and sharing it with an extensive audience. Demme’s framing and camera angles were seen as unusual at the time but elevated the experience of the concert. Although there is no true narrative in this film, the addition of more band members coming on stage is a brilliant way to build a story of the band's history while the show continues. This show had already been staged and choreographed prior to the filming which makes this film a great insight into what a Talking Heads show in their prime would’ve looked like. This film is so important in today’s time as fans of Talking Heads old and new can watch and reflect on this era of music. 

Progression of Concert Films

Concert films from Queen Rock Montreal (filmed in 1981 and released in 2007), Prince’s Sign “☮” the Times (1987), and Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) all continued to progress the genre in their own right. Queen’s cinematography highlights the band in a much more intimate way while performing than seen before which makes the performance stunning. Prince chooses to use a narrative throughout the concert which at points is shot like a feature film. Madonna opts for an approach that intertwines documentary footage of her on tour in black and white while showing clips of her performing in color making it very personal and true to what Madonna’s life looked like on and off stage. As technology advanced it led to concert films that experimented with different ways on how they could approach the concert film. 

Another film that portrays a band’s last concert is Shut Up and Play the Hits (2012), which is “The very loud ending of LCD Soundsystem.” LCD Soundsystem eventually reunited a mere five years later but this doesn’t discredit the fervent emotions shown by frontman James Murphy as he accepts moving on from the band. This film utilizes cameramen by placing them in the crowd with handheld cameras and shows what the average crowd member would be seeing whether it be the stage or the people dancing alongside them. The Beastie Boys take it a step further in their 2006 concert film, Awesome; I F*ckin’ Shot That!, where they handed out 50 camcorders to audience members and all the footage they shot was edited together for the final film. Despite the dizzying shake of the cameras, this approach led to a very natural experience for the average concertgoer. But this surely wasn’t the pinnacle of technology reshaping how concert films are done today.

Recent Concert Films

Amazing Grace (2018) and Summer of Soul (2021) are both restored and remastered films from a team of archivists that were edited together and brought off the shelves for audiences today to enjoy. The former exemplifies Aretha Franklin giving a revolutionary gospel performance at a Baptist church in Los Angeles. Coming off of a streak of hits, in 1972 Aretha planned to record a live album under the same name which would go on to be her highest-selling album. Summer of Soul uses contemporary interviews to give context to the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Both examine significant moments in Black music history. The Harlem Cultural Festival footage being shelved for years before being remastered for audiences now gives modern context to the Civil Rights movement and its relation to Black American music in this era. Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Sly and the Family Stone, and Nina Simone all performed at this event as well. As remastered footage becomes more popularized it’s still not the principal form of concert film being made.

Taylor Swift: The Era’s Tour shattered records becoming the highest-grossing concert film of all time reaching $261.2 million. This and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé are the two most regarded recent concert films released both in 2023. A reason for the increase in concert films in this period was the 2023 writer’s strike which led to movie theaters having less scripted films to screen and relying on concert films to stay afloat. While these two concert films are some of the most profitable ever, Taylor's film lacks the heart that Beyoncé's film has. Rather than getting to feel Taylor's energy, seeing intimate moments, or being among the audience, it feels more like watching a live-streamed performance edited together and packaged nicely. Relying on the spectacle of this performance rather than filming in a way that challenges what she can do in a new medium leads to a film that lacks any sentimental value. This leaves a bleak outlook for what future concert films could look like unless there’s a return to the old form.

Trajectory of Concert Films

With streaming services focusing on what original content to fill their programs, they tend to focus on an excess of stand-up comedy specials, documentaries, and reality TV. These three genres have a common factor which is their cost-efficient production. Concert films fall into this genre as well with the average budget for concert films not even coming close to surpassing the cost of what a feature film would cost with a big-name star. With streaming services being at the forefront of media consumption, it would make sense that any future concert film would go to them, as it’s been proven with recent releases. For example, Elton John: Farewell From Dodger Stadium (2022) went straight to Disney+ while the newly released Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour (2024) went directly to Netflix. This renewed interest and recent success of concert films leads to a promising supply for some time to come. More artists should take on the task of creating a concert film so audiences not physically present can feel among them and see the beauty of live music. As well as providing future archives for the leading performers in music right now to document for future generations.

Why Concert Films Are Important Moving Forward

In essence, concert films have the power to show the beauty and pain of being a performer while giving the experience of being in the crowd. Portraying the chaos amongst the crowd and the captivating performances of live concerts are vital to understanding what music looked like throughout history. Artists have pushed the boundaries of what a concert film can showcase for it to turn into just presenting a live performance. The emotions and sincerity of these artists performing are what can separate a concert film from boring and moving. As music shifts, and artists come and go, the concert film can cement an artist’s legacy by capturing a pivotal moment that shapes an era and influences future generations. 

Recommended Concert Films (Not Previously Mentioned)

Dave Chappelle’s Block Party

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese

Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé

David Byrne’s American Utopia

U2: Under a Blood Red Sky

Jay-Z - Fade to Black

Phil Collins: Live and Loose in Paris

Iris: A Space Opera by Justice 

The Beatles: Let It Be

Michael Jackson's This is It

Radiohead - In Rainbows From the Basement

folklore: the long pond studio sessions