New York Dolls - Live From The Royal Festival Hall 2004 (DVD)
Sanctuary
Sleazy Glam Hard Rock

Release year: 2004
Sanctuary
Reviewed by Marty
Major event
Before the Sex Pistols and the Ramones and well before bands like Kiss, Motley Crue and Poison graced the concert stages with their wild, flamboyant live spectacles, there were the New York Dolls. The influence lasted deeper into the late 80's and early nineties with Guns N' Roses bearing more that just a passing resemblance to the wild and ragged New York rockers; also falling victim to the same excesses that eventually spelled the demise of both bands. Guns N' Roses played tribute to the Dolls on their 1993 album The Spaghetti Incident, covering the Dolls track Human Being and also Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders song, You Can't Throw Your Arms Around A Memory. With an in-your-face attitude as well as living the rock 'n roll lifestyle to the extreme, the Dolls emerged in the early 70's and immediately shook up the rather conservative music industry at the time by dressing up as drag queens in fishnet stockings, tight pants, high heels and in full make-up and hair. The Dolls lasted until 1977 when they crashed and burned; creating friction between band members that took many, many years to heal. Original members Johnny Thunders (guitars) and drummer Jerry Nolan both passed away in 1991 leaving David Johansen (vocals), Sylvain Sylvain (guitar) and Arthur "Killer" Kane (bass) as the surviving members. Reunions had been discussed over the years but were strictly a money making venture by greedy promoters and were never agreed to by the surviving band members. David Johansen enjoyed commercial success in the 80's and 90's under the pseudonym of Buster Poindexter, Sylvain Sylvain remained associated with the music business and Arthur "Killer" Kane, aside from battling lifelong addictions to drugs and alcohol, finally found peace in Christianity many years ago and was found working in a Christian Bookstore.

Morrissey (Morrissey, The Smiths) was appointed curator for the contemporary music portion of the highly acclaimed Meltdown Festival in London England for the 2004 version and being a long-time fan of the band, finally convinced the New York Dolls to reunite for the first time since 1977 for a series of live shows. Former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin had originally signed on as second guitarist but plans fell through and Steve Conte got the call. Helping out on keyboards is Brian Koonin and drummer Gary Powell from the U.K. band the Libertines. This concert, at the Royal Festival Hall was a landmark event in the Dolls history. It was the first time they had performed together live since 1977 and sadly, it also was the last performance by Arthur "Killer" Kane who died only a few weeks later due to complications from leukemia.

The Dolls music, for those not familiar with them is a bluesy, sleazy blend of classic Rolling Stones, hard rock, blues and a bit of rockabilly all with a very punkish attitude. With this DVD, it doesn't take the band very long to win over the fans and put on the sort of performance that really is pure nostalgia but with the Dolls bound and determined to put forth the same energy as they did almost 30 years ago. They rip through every track from their debut album as well as much of their second, Too Much Too Soon as well as other Dolls classics and a couple of cover tunes. Subway Train is a great energetic bluesy romp and guitarist Steve Conte does a great job of the lead guitar duties. Arthur Kane's song Private World is an energetic rocker the Stones influences come through in full force with the tracks In My Girlish Days and Vietnamese Baby. A cover of Bo Diddley's Pills gets the full high energy blues rock treatment and Mystery Girls gives you a glimpse of what the Ramones were to become years later. Other track highlights are the Dolls classics Jet Boy, Personality Crisis and Human Being. They pay a touching tribute to Johnny Thunders with Sylvain Sylvain providing the lead vocals for Johnny's You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory which is played as a medley with David Johansen taking over mid song as they blend it into another Dolls classic, Lonely Planet Boy. The Dolls really let loose with this concert and they seem to be having a great time. It seems fitting to have a reunion concert like this in London as that was where the Dolls initially hit it big; long before getting any real recognition at home in the U.S. With many of the concert goers singing along with every song, it was if the Dolls had finally come "home". A rough and raucous performance, their rough and ready attack to their songs gives the impression that it's all going to fall apart at any time....but it never does....and that's what the Dolls are really all about.

As much as this DVD release is about the reunion of the New York Dolls, it is more of a fitting tribute to Arthur "Killer" Kane. Ill and not feeling up to par, he seemed determined to get through the performances and manages a weak smile now and then as he is constantly hugged and kissed by both David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain. There is a tribute section to Arthur showing him riding the bus to work and interacting with the other employees at the Christian bookstore where he works. He looks nothing like a man who used to play bass for one of the most shocking and controversial rock bands ever. Arthur himself says that he has carried the burden of being told that he was nothing but a has-been; a washed up rock star. He endured many hardships with drugs and alcohol addictions over the years trying to deal with what happened with the Dolls as many, including himself, felt that the Dolls ended much too soon. Although Arthur was ill, he hid the severity and nature of his illness from the other band members. It seemed as if this one show...this one final show with the New York Dolls was the one thing that would finally bring him peace and a sense of fulfillment in his life. The image of him playing and the tributes and accolades bestowed upon him by David Johansen both in an interview on this DVD as well as a very touching eulogy written by David in the DVD booklet give this whole DVD a very different perspective. It is not all about the Dolls and their legacy but also a tribute to the "gentle giant" of a man that was Arthur "Killer" Kane. After his death, the band recruited another bass player, John Conte and played several other shows with a couple of bonus live tracks from one of those shows included with this DVD. David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain are still undecided about the future of the Dolls but they haven't ruled out working together again and the possibility of a new album someday.

Fans of the Dolls should not be without this performance. There is also a live CD version available and it's pure New York Dolls. If you're a fan of the glam rock era and bands that were influenced by it, this DVD is a history lesson for you. The New York Dolls fell by the wayside only to sit by and watch other bands pick up where they left off and have huge careers. Sylvain Sylvain has been quoted as saying "We sold more influence than records". It's the influence and not the success that's being celebrated here for the New York Dolls were certainly one of a kind.

Killing Songs :
Looking For A Kiss, Subway Train, Private World, Vietnamese Baby, Pills, Jet Boy, Personality Crisis and Human Being
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