Search - Turned Up and Turned On on DVD

Forty years too late

T. Stout | Seattle, WA USA | 01/29/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"They should have made this back in 1969. Some of the music is quite good and reminiscent of the time I saw them in 1966 at the Fillmore. Some of it is just a bunch of fat balding guys going through the motions. Joe can still sing [although he doesn't give it his all] and the band can play but they ain't in their early 20s anymore.

They were the best band of the night back in August 1966 when they shared the bill with Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service and that is saying something. Each band played two sets and the music went on forever and the light show was magnificent. The bands played until long past 2 AM ending with a lengthy jam lasting at least 30 minutes with all bands joining in. You had to have been there to know how incredible the night was.

THAT night will stay with me forever. That is one night I'd like to have on DVD. This night is pale by any comparison.

The crowd in this DVD never gets into the show, almost like an empty house. Sadly the DVD is missing the guitar talents of Barry 'The Fish' Melton. His fluid style of playing was one of the primary characteristics of one of San Francisco's best ever bands.

I miss the old band. You can seldom recapture the magic, certainly not after 40 years. Old rockers need to know when to move on to something else. As long as there are sad old punters willing to go to their shows, aging rockers will continue to gig. Bittersweet."

Flashes of past brilliance which is now gone

Carson Storm | The midwest | 02/14/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm glad to have obtained this DVD as it presents a performance of most of the members of this classic rock band reunited. David Cohen, Bruce Barthol, "Chicken" Hirsch join Country Joe and run through many of their old songs from the band's mid to late 60s glory years. Sometimes this comes across quite well, and still impresses, like on "Section 43". Other times I'm only reminded of what the original versions sounded like 40 years ago.
I wouldn't have recognized Cohen, Barthol and Hirsch as their appearances have changed a lot from the past. They all play very well. There is also an extended interview with Joe McDonald on the DVD which is interesting but not much new information for diehard fans.
What I found disappointing was the venue itself. It looks like a performance that was unimaginatively filmed before a small crowd at a casino or in a tent. The crowd is polite in their response to the performances but decidedly reserved, more like they don't have a clue who this group is or what their past songs were. Joe doesn't seem to connect with the audience either, and his performance is too low-key and unenergetic.
Still, I'd recommend this to fans of the original group as it does give us a glimpse of what the members look like now and can still do musically. It would have been good to have Barry "The Fish" Melton along to play guitar as well, and maybe he would have added the extra spark to set the performances on fire. Most of songs still come across quite well without his presence, however, as David Cohen capably fills in on guitar in addition to keyboards."