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Staff IconTed Leo and the Pharmacists - Dirty Old Town DVD (Cover Artwork)

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Dirty Old Town DVD (2004)
Plexifilm

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Contributed by: Scott
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Published on February 27th 2004


The concert DVD has become quite popular in the indie scene as of late. Whereas live albums in audio form are typically frowned upon, live DVDs have been somewhat embraced, leading to literally dozens coming out in the past year and even more scheduled for 2004. Very few ever get it right, though.

Dirty Old Town gets it right.

Dirty Old Town is, at it's core, simply Ted Leo and the Pharmacists playing at last summer's Siren Music Festival on Coney Island. But the film is so much more than that. Director Justin Mitchell trails Leo around Coney Island, and intersperses rather informative interview clips in between songs in the band's oh-so-sweaty [and sadly, much too short] set.

Mitchell also succeeds where many of these concert DVDs fail - you almost never see another cameraperson. This is even more difficult since this is in broad daylight; it's much easier to conceal oneself in the darkened background of the House Of Blues [and yet somehow, the Kung Fu camera operators still can't get out of the way]. Mitchell also explores different types and speeds of film, going from still photo montages to sped up film, from actual film to video, and back again. It's incredibly engaging.

Dirty Old Town's only pratfall is it's bonus features. While Plexifilm said that a Leo solo show from Brownies as well as the band's performace from the NYC Blackout of 2003 would be included, both are sorely underrepresented, with only 3 songs from the solo show and one song [albeit the jam-out of "Stove By A Whale"] from the Blackout show. I shouldn't be bitter, as they are only bonus features and not meant to be the bulk of the DVD, but they leave me wanting so much more.

With Dirty Old Town, Plexifilm has launched a new series of concert DVDs. Ted Leo, alongside Justin Mitchell, has set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the series. If Plexifilm can keep matching progressive artists with equally progressive directors, this series will be full of hits.

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2nd Ave., 11am



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    CallingLondon (March 2, 2004)

    huh? why are live CDs frowned upon? i'd rather have a live cd than a best of compilation.

    Anonymous (March 1, 2004)

    i gotta get this.

    and a dvd player.

    Anonymous (March 1, 2004)

    that's a very sweet cover.

    Anonymous (March 1, 2004)

    tatecore

    Anonymous (February 29, 2004)

    tatty stout

    Anonymous (February 29, 2004)

    Sweet, two Plexifilms reviewed on this site. this is some good shit. Their dvds are quickly becoming the standard for new releases, just like Criterion is becoming the standard for the older classics. there needs to be a dvd and film reviews on this site. Books would be good too. I can deffinitely see this site becoming a haven for "alternative" teens, it's quality is through the roof. The site just needs more staffers. Thanks Scott, Adam, and Aubin. Keep up the good work.

    P.S. Yes, I know it sounds like I'm sucking up to them, but this is a good site. Also, I just don't want the same people winning over and over agin. Get a new system for Pete's sake.

    Anonymous (February 28, 2004)

    ted leo rules your proverbial face; that's all there is to it
    also, down with corporate record stores (there wasn't even a marker for a husker du section in the wherehouse music store i went to today)

    -notaclevername

    Anonymous (February 28, 2004)

    i saw gigantic, the tmbg documentary, in the theatre at the mfa in boston and it was absolutely brilliant. i definetly have to pick it up on dvd.

    MikeRiot (February 28, 2004)

    awesome.

    Eddie (February 28, 2004)

    I must get this!

    Icapped2pac (February 27, 2004)

    This seems like somethin....

    irish_joo (February 27, 2004)

    which genre would that be?

    Anonymous (February 27, 2004)

    they might be giants is for fags, fag.

    Anonymous (February 27, 2004)

    this is looks good.

    someone should also review the they might be giants dvd. that was a very good documentary, not just for music, but for the genre as a whole.

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