Let's Spend the Night Together

Strange- I had maybe too high expectations for this concert movie (not a documentary, suffice to say it is not Gimme Shelter's mix of concert and behind the scenes). Mostly it was on the basis of it being 70's iconoclast director Hal Ashby behind the lens of the Stones on two dates of their 1981 shows. Curiously enough, even as just a piece of film of the concert itself, the editing and shots of the concert are sometimes just ill-conceived. Sometimes Ashby's style of 'kicking back' and not cutting away from a shot is effective, as one almost gets that feeling of being in the same spot looking at the stage and (somewhat) lively performers. Unfortunately, there seem to be some songs that get editing treatment that displays, a little too much so, that Ashby is not really too adept at mixing archival footage in with the rest of the concert footage.

The cutting back to the backstage during the song isn't too distracting, but the cutting to the 60's footage during 'Time is on My Side' of the Stones and (particularly) Mick Jagger is a bit shabby in the ways that should make for some convincing footage. And considering Ashby's strengths started as an editor it's kind of sad to say more often than not what isn't too appealing about the film is based on his work on it. This being said, his work as just capturing the footage ON stage is not too bad, which is helped by the Stones doing well with their songs. Some of these even I hadn't heard before, as they seem to reach back into either their latest of the period (late 70's into Tattoo You numbers) or some of the songs from the 60's albums. And performance wise it's hit or miss- more hit than miss, with the good numbers being very good (i.e. the title song, Under My Thumb, Shattered), and the misses being sort of forgettable in the midst of a large, overwhelming arena crowd as in Phoenix. The film itself is not as readily available as the better Stones documentary Gimme Shelter, but for fans its worth a view at least once, maybe more depending on reaction. As an Ashby fan I should say it has some liabilities.

Hey, let's keep one thing in mind: This is a concert film! Forget Maltin. What does he know about the Stones? I'm sorry, but I love this film. As a film? No. As a concert? Yes. Why? Because the Stones play tunes one rarely hears with great punch. Why else? Because if you didn't get to go, this is the next best thing. Any true Stones fan need only explore the set list to know that this CONCERT rocks--from one of the best covers of JUST MY IMAGINATION I have ever heard (Ernie Watts kicking butt on sax), to an excellent TIME IS ON MY SIDE and BEAST OF BURDEN couplet, and finally a tremendous HONKY TONK WOMAN (as even Maltin notes) with Keith jamming that first riff out one-handed for a joyously extended period. Don't listen to the Danish guy below. He doesn't know anything. If you are a true LIVE Stones fan, you will adore this.

Forget what critics say about this one, it's a rock 'n' roll concert NOT

cinema verité and that's all I want from The Stones. Filmed at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona (outdoors segment) and

the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey (indoor segment) by

director Hal Ashby ("Harold And Maude", "Coming Home") in the fall of

1981 on the Stones' very successful Tattoo You Tour. This is the last tour to feature the basic meat and potatoes Stones lineup

(guitar, bass, drums, piano, sax) as every subsequent tour since has featured an musical entourage of 3 or 4 backup singers, big horn sections and

multiple keyboardists. The material is great although I wish they'd have

played "Gimme Shelter", "Monkey Man", "Street Fighting Man", "Bitch"

but hey, those songs were not performed on that tour so what are you

gonna do? I would have liked more backstage activity but then again that's what the

"C*cks*cker Blues" 1972 film by Robert Frank does to excess. "Let's Spend The Night Together" perfectly captures the Stones as they

were in 1981 in their late 30s and early 40s and is a must for any Rolling

Stones fan.

4 - 1/2 STARS out of 5

By 1981 the Stones were beginning to struggle under the weight of their own legacy, and it shows in "Let's Spend the Night Together". The first three numbers--'Under My Thumb', the title song, and 'Shattered'--are terrific, but the set soon descends into mediocrity. Part of the problem was that the band tried to cram way too many songs into a ninety-minute performance, which resulted in sped-up versions with no melody or musical texture. The other problem was that they had played this material too many times; what you see and hear in the film is a great band simply going through the motions. The rest of the set ranges from decent ('Let It Bleed') to embarrassingly bad ('Miss You') to somewhere in between ('Start Me Up'). You might want to see this if you're a Stones fanatic, but it's not a must. Interestingly, the live album recorded during this tour ("Still Life") is far better than the concert film itself--better versions of the songs were chosen, and the sound is immaculate. "Still Life" is, in fact, my favorite Rolling Stones live album.

"Let's Spend the Night Together" is the concert film made during The Rolling Stones' 1981 US tour. There were two shows used for the movie. Most of the first half of the film was recorded at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona, on December 13, 1981. Most of the film's second half was recorded at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey, on November 5-6, 1981. Generally, the arena show is stronger, which works out well, as it makes the film seem like it got better. There were many more shows filmed - in fact, this film nearly identical to the Stones' previous concert film "Rocks Off" (1982).

For those keeping track, "When the Whip Comes Down" sadly makes the omission list, and backstage is footage added.

Your Set List - "Under My Thumb" / "Let's Spend the Night Together" / "Shattered" /"Neighbours" / "Black Limousine" / "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" / "Twenty Flight Rock" / "Let Me Go" / "Time Is On My Side" / "Beast of Burden" / "Waiting on a Friend" / "Going to a Go Go" / "You Can't Always Get What You Want" / "Little T & A" / "Tumbling Dice" / "She's So Cold" / "All Down the Line" / "Hang Fire" / "Miss You" / "Let It Bleed" / "Start Me Up" / "Honky Tonk Women" / "Brown Sugar" / "Jumpin' Jack Flash" / "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" / "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Jimi Hendrix).

This is not consistently terrific stuff… but, you would be right if you said, "STFU, it's still the Rolling STONES!"

Things start off with Mick front and center, doing his dance and hip swiveling in the "sporty" costume he wore then - with scarves, hats, and accessories added around and around. None of this works for the era's regular opening song, "Under My Thumb" which sounds pitched about the same as "Let's Spend the Night Together" and others. The "stadium" songs run around the bases quickly, and the show gets better. By "You Can't Always Get What You Want" they really are rolling. A relatively sober Keith cuts loose. Another highlight occurs around "Miss You" and "Let It Bleed", then it's more set list stretching.

***** Let's Spend the Night Together (2/11/83) Hal Ashby ~ Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts