The only thing tighter than the band Zappa had on stage for this concert doc is its runtime. This is a guy that was known for his epic, exhausting live shows -- he even tells the crowd in this one that it will be a long one so they should get comfortable -- yet we get less than an hour of music here! This thing could've easily been 3 hours and I would've been thrilled because that's how fun, energetic and incredible this particular band is. If you've seen "Roxy" you saw a totally different type of Zappa band because this one is much more of a rock outfit that can zip through entire medleys at top tempo, never once missing a note and with each member displaying a ton of personality. In fact, I'd say Frank actually has the most boring stage presence of anyone in this film, and that's saying something! I found the interview segments to be distracting and they made Zappa even less endearing. The audio mix isn't as clear for every instrument as "Roxy" is (some of the drum parts get lost) but the guitars sound incredible and are way in your face. If this one had been a little more focused on the music and documenting an entire show it would easily be a 10/10 but it's still a must watch for any Zappa fan as it is.
Review of Does Humor Belong in Music?
