Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Live in Paris (Vagrant) Review

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Live in Paris

Vagrant

Jul 23, 2015 Web Exclusive By Lily Moayeri

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is, arguably, more popular outside of its native U.S. The trio is known for capturing the dedication of its European fans live on DVD/CD combos, first with sold-out shows in Berlin, Dublin, and Glasgow in 2007, then in London in 2011, and now in Paris. The group’s show at the Theatre Trianon on February 24, 2014 is immortalized on a live double CD plus DVD package obviously titled Live In Paris.

The dark dynamics of this group’s performances are undeniable. The award-winning live concert portion, directed by Bartleberry Logan, captures this intensity with tension and artistry. Maintaining BRMC’s raw energy, the film takes creative license with its interpretation and editing. Slow motion moments, shadows, fades, and camera angles, plus the tilting images of the rapt audience bring a spine-tingling effect to the viewing. The mood swings between throat-catching emotion when Robert Been is vocalizing to zealously aggressive when Peter Hayes is on the mic.

A documentary by Yana Amur, 33.3%, is also part of this package. Just under an hour and shot mainly in black & white, a look that suits BRMC, 33.3% attempts to give a look at behind-the-scenes with both candid footage and interviews with individual members of the group. This portion moves excruciatingly slowly with extraneous live footage, which was more than adequately—are far more creatively—covered in Logan’s representation. 33.3% would have been more effective at half its length.

The 24-track audio component of Live In Paris doesn’t nearly do BRMC justice. Claustrophobic and held back, hardly how BRMC is described, there is a disconnection between what’s heard on stage and the piped in audience reaction. Might be a good idea to watch first and listen later, so the recollection of the video can augment the audio experience. Or better yet, skip the audio and the documentary altogether and stick with the live concert DVD. (www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com)

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