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Jun 08, 2009 Arctic Monkeys By Lily Moayeri

This must-have for Arctic Monkeys fans is a double dose. One, a DVD of their last concert for the 2007 world tour which took place at the Apollo Theatre in Manchester, England. Two, a live CD of a show in Austin, TX (available only on the U.S. version).

Directed by Richard Ayoade and filmed by Danny Cohen, At the Apollo is edited by Nick Fenton. This trio of experts has put together a concert film that opens like an indie art flick. Kicking off with the teeth-grinding energy the Arctics are known for, the start nevertheless feels a little stiff as it looks like the group is playing in a dark and smoky rehearsal studio. It doesn’t help that you can see their crew standing in the wings. The camera finally pans outward to a full house with all arms in the air, and the performance kicks into an even higher gear.

This minimal representation of the crowd is a problem for the entirety of At the Apollo. There are great shots of the Arctics, including the occasional move into multiple frames. (An extra option that shows multiple frames for the entire first half of the concert can be accessed from the DVD menu.) The show is almost all in monochromatic color, be it sepia, blue, red, or generic “stage” color. What there is the most of, however, is a lot of sneering and face-pulling on the part of the Arctics that shows they are having a hell of a good time at this show.

The accompanying bonus CD makes up for the audience representation missing on the DVD. The screams and participation from the crowd is a large component of this unrestrained performance captured on June 7, 2006 in Austin, TX. Both the CD and the DVD have a satisfying number of the Arctic’s hits from both their albums to justify the purchase of this fan-geared release. (www.arcticmonkeys.com)

Author rating: 7/10