The Vibrators – Live Energized CBGB 2004

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: B-     Concert: B-

 

 

The Vibrators are one of the great British Punk bands, and we mean from the original era.  Starting with Pure Mania in 1977, the band claimed their unique position in the genre before it started to repeat itself.  Having survived all these years one way or the other, here they are on DVD 27 years later in Live Energized, which takes place at CBGBs.  Taking place September 23, 2004, the set runs 65 minutes and is bookended by two of their best known songs:

 

1)     Automatic Lover

2)     Your Love Is Fading Away

3)     The Kid’s A Mess

4)     I Need A Slave

5)     I Knew It Must Be Love

6)     Politically Correct

7)     Troops Of Tomorrow

8)     He’s A Psycho

9)     U238

10)  New Brain

11)  Whips & Furs

12)  So Far Down

13)  Baby Baby

14)  Disco In Mosco

15)  Petrol

16)  London Girls

17)  Judy Says (Knock You In The Head)

18)  Brand New Cadillac

19)  Amphetamine Blue

20)  Bad Time

21)  Pure Mania

22)  Wrecked On You

23)  Yeah Yeah Yeah

 

 

The performances are not bad considering how long ago these songs were first performed, The band has not sold out, and aged gracefully, coming across with more Punk authenticity now than most of the new second, third and fourth generation bands in the genre do now.  One just wishes the concert were longer.  There were more classics to do, but this is a great playlist of some of the most key.  Now that’s the Punk spirit.

 

The letterboxed 1.78 X 1/16 X 9 concert is taped and has both Video Black and fine detail issues, but is clearer and more color consistent than many such concerts simply because someone shot it right.  That can make a difference and it does here.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is not great or strong, but is somewhat clear if not sonically spectacular and a bit better than the Dolby 2.0 Stereo option.  Extras include two interview segments.  The CBGB interview is over 37 minutes long and in eight sections, while the Hoboken Interview is a much briefer 5:26, but they have much to say and current-generation Punk fans in particular need to check these out.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo