The Doors Album: “L.A. Woman Live”

Okay...

I am getting sick of this...has it happened to you? You avoid a live show for any number of reasons...and then the video/DVD from that tour comes out and you wish you had moved heaven and earth to see the show!

Case in point...the doors of the 21st century..

I hated the idea of "beatlemania" versions of THE DOORS....even loving Ray and Robbie as I do....I didn't think the singer from The Cult did that well on Storytellers....(Scott Weiland was the best by me)....so I avoided this tour and now .....after watching the DVD....I am mad at myself...

It looks like a very fun/cool show....Ray and Robbie played GREAT....Ian didn't do all that bad and struck a great JIM pose...and while it may echo Beatlemania.....it would have been great to have been there.

The quality of the production is first rate but to repeat myself...there is no greater praise I can give a show than to say it makes me WISH I would have seen it and this DVD had me on Ticketmaster HOPING they would return...hopefully with more people digging this video they will be encouraged to tour again...

I was one of the lucky people that actually attended this show in Houston. It was probably the best concert I have ever been to. Ian Astbury absolutely channels Jim. It is astonishing. The finale of "Soul Kitchen" with audience members rushing on stage is not to be missed. I just ordered this show and cannot wait to see it. I highly recommend you see this DVD!

The Doors touring without Jim Morrison? This will surely seem like sacrilege to many purists, and indeed it has. When original Doors members Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger (drummer John Densmore is not joining the revival and has actually taken Manzarek and Krieger to court) decided after a popular VH1 Storytellers episode to tour again with former Cult frontman Ian Astbury filling-in for the legendary, highly influential Morrison, it sparked a lot of uproar. It can be argued that Morrison was the heart and soul of the band. His image of a wild poet in leather pants collapsing and screaming in ecstacy during concerts is part of what has kept the music of The Doors so popular. But fans need not worry, this DVD, "L.A. Woman Live," which is basically a performance of the entire "L.A. Woman" album with a few other classics thrown in, is more homage than comeback. There are no new songs and Krieger and Manzarek come off more as two veteran rockers who want to just play in public again. All eyes however, are most likely on Astbury. During his years with The Cult his Jim Morrison-like persona was signaled out a lot but here he's actually filling-in for the Lizard King. A lot of his performance is very good, Astbury doesn't lack a voice and his range fits well with the songs. Of course he looks more controlled and subdued than Morrison, who with one look at the camera was telling you he was completely insane. But Astbury isn't trying to copy the original, even his hair looks more like a fun way of winking at the Morrison icon. Stand out tracks include a dynamic "Break On Through" and epic "When The Music's Over" where Krieger really whales and assaults with his guitar. "Light My Fire" is of course here and it's been so endlessly infused into popular culture that all you can say is, "it's cool, of course the original's the best." The production is also stylish and artistic, especially the touch of psychedlic lighting and candles on stage. The only complaint here is that while it's interesting to see the entire "L.A. Woman" album played live, it doesn't feel very fulfilling. Would we seriously prefer to hear "Cars Hiss By My Window" over "People Are Strange" or "Hyacinth House" over "The Crystal Ship" or "Backdoor Man?" I caught their show in Albuqurque, New Mexico and thought their renditions of "Not To Touch The Earth," "Maggie MGill" and "Alabama Song" were excellent, it's shame they aren't featured here. A few more extra features would have been welcome as well (Doors DVDs are apparently poor in this department except for the "Doors Collection" and "The Doors" movie DVDs). The Doors Of The 21st Century prove they got the stuff to rock, but a better DVD still eludes them.

If Jim Morrison were still alive to perform in this concert, that would add up to 100%. Ian does a respectable job as singer - actually he's pretty close to Morrison, but falls short just a little (in my opinion) in the tonal quality of his voice - but just in some of the songs.

In other songs ("Riders on a Storm", for example) he's spot on. Just close your eyes and imagine that it's Jim singing, and you will soon believe that it is him.

The instrumental presentation is wonderful as one would expect, because Manzarek and Krieger are both original members. and still amazing musicians. The sound and video quality are excellent - far better than any videos or film of the original band that still exist.

Jim's not coming back any time soon. Nothing's gonna change that. No sense in complaining about it. Just slip this disc into the DVD player, and enjoy the best Doors concert that you are likely to ever see. It's first-rate!

To all who wanted to hate this D21C band with Ian Astbury at the vocals, admit it....they are GREAT, and Ian is just plain fabulous as the vocalist. He really seems to connect with the audience and brings out his own poeticness in his rendition of the songs. What an awesome performer. They are all having a great time and loving it and you can see it in this dvd. I have always loved the doors and the cult and when I found out Ian Astbury was doing this just recently, I had to see what it was like. And, I was very pleasantly surprised. They couldn't have made a better choice than Ian Astbury. Ray and Robbie are awesome too and are obviously enjoying themselves; and I think Robbie looks great in his military fatigues? He's really on with his guitar playing as well. I liked the interview clips in between the songs as well. We all love and miss Jim Morrison. He was one of the great ones and his legacy will live on. And, we can still enjoy listening to his music and the music of the Doors. But, I believe Jim would love that Ray and Robbie are still out there performing their music and would love that one of their admirers/fans, Ian Astbury, is singing his songs with such feeling, and doing an amazing job of it.