Live in San Francisco Sept 2nd 1978

The Screamers

Overview

"The Screamers were in the midst of their first American tour when the San Francisco-based Target Video produced this recording of the band in concert in the Bay Area. Screamers: Live in San Francisco, Sept 2nd 1978 has been transferred to disc in its original full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo. The image quality is frankly substandard; shot in black-and-white, the picture is streaky and full of murk much of the time (the occasional neo-psychedelic color overlays don't help much), and the camerawork is only a few steps up from amateur level. The audio isn't particularly better, boasting a dodgy mix that recalls the glory days of '70s bootleg audio (though this is indeed an authorized release). And while the package claims 30 minutes of music from the group, actually the running time is just a bit over 20 minutes, including the audio-only version of ""(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)"" that plays over the final credits. The only bonus item is a Target promotional reel that has appeared on other releases from the company. Given the wealth of material Joe Rees and company have in their vaults, Screamers: Live in San Francisco, Sept 2nd 1978 was a strange choice for DVD upgrade, and this disc is recommended only for the most hardcore fans of the group."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/12/2004
UPC:	0022891442295
Original Release:	2004
Source:	MUSIC VIDEO DIST.***
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	0:40:00
Sales rank:	42,613

Special Features

Five live video clips from Target Studios (never before released); Target Video promo reel

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

The Screamers

Actor,Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Joe Rees	Engineer
Gary Panter	Artwork

Editorial Reviews

Supposedly, Jello Biafra once praised the Screamers as "the greatest band never signed," and after viewing the Live 1978 in San Francisco DVD, he may have a point. As part of the first wave of punk bands to emerge from California during the late '70s, the group was not your typical punk outfit. With just about every punk band still leaning heavily on buzzing guitars to get its point across, the Screamers ditched six strings all together, as their sound centered around organ processed through a distortion pedal, as well as ultracharismatic frontman Tomata du Plenty. Since they never issued an album during their heyday, all that's left is a 40-minute long video from September of 1978 -- originally released as part of the Target Video series, it has now been reissued as a DVD for the first time. Luckily, the sound is surprisingly good, and the performance is everything you'd expect it to be. In fact, it doesn't take long to see that the Dead Kennedys obviously "studied" the Screamers musically (as evidenced by such standouts as "Vertigo" and "Punish or Be Damned"), while du Plenty's stage presence is quite comparable to Biafra's. If the main attraction wasn't enough, the DVD also comes with five additional performances, taped live in Target's studio, as well as sneak peaks into other shows that Target taped during the early-to-mid-'80s (you can only hope that the short clips of X, Talking Heads, Flipper, Bad Brains, Devo, and the Ramones eventually find their way onto their own full-length DVDs, as well). A must-see DVD for fans of first-wave punk. ~ Greg Prato