The Web site that brought us the 13 Moulin Blues DVD, www.bluesdvd.nl, now has a YouTube channel. Of interest to us: A great quality highlight reel of the 13 DVD. If you’ve been on the fence about getting this concert, watch this video and get going!
Archive for moulin blues
Moulin DVD highlight reel
Posted in 13 with tags 13, alex schultz, blues, dvd, eddie clark, lester butler, lester's legendary last gig, mike hightower, moulin blues, music, ospel, red devils on December 16, 2009 by J.J.DVD review: Red Devils at Moulin 1993
Posted in red devils with tags bill bateman, blues, dave lee bartel, dvd, harmonica, jonny ray bartel, lester butler, moulin blues, music, paul size, red devils on April 19, 2009 by J.J.By the 1993 Moulin Blues Festival, the Red Devils had been touring for several months on end, and the wear and tear can be seen — but not heard — in the three bonus tracks on the DVD.
While the band looks beat up, they are as tight a musical unit as one could hope for. The devastating, muscular tunes show why the band became legendary in just a few short years, and why they imploded just as quickly.
Paul Size at Moulin 1993
Immediately, you see a different Lester Butler from the 13 era. He looks dirty and heavy, with a bandana failing to keep his long hair from his face. A baggy shirt drapes his frame, and he sways precariously from side to side. His eyelids are heavy, and he has a not-all-there smile on his face. It’s a wonder that he can stand up, let alone perform.
The mini-set starts off with “She’s Dangerous” in the now-familiar live style, with the stop-time riff gone in favor of a piledriving rock beat. Bill Bateman swings hard on the drums, flipping his wrist to emphasize the snare beat. Paul Size, shirt open, cigarette dangling from his lip, eyes half-open, plays aggressively. The Bartel brothers hold down the cool: Jonny Ray swinging his bass at his hip, while Dave Lee strums frantically at his Les Paul Goldtop.
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DVD review: Lester Butler at his best
Posted in 13 with tags 13, alex schultz, billy branch, blues, dvd, eddie clark, harmonica, james harman, joe louis walker, lester butler, mike hightower, moulin blues, music, paul size on April 7, 2009 by J.J.It’s very easy in hindsight to project added significance to the DVD “Live at Moulin Blues Ospel 1998 — Lester’s Legendary Last Gig.” Every song choice, every note, every glance can take on a different meaning knowing that Butler would be dead just a week later.
The reality is he probably considered it just another gig. A great gig, a lot of fun, but a gig nonetheless.
On any level you choose to watch it, this DVD is required viewing for Lester Butler and Red Devils fans.
Long available on bootleg video, this new official version actually enhances both Butler’s myth and his reality. It shows him to be an outstanding frontman and bandleader and also, for the first time, gives a glimpse at the offstage Lester his family and close friends knew.
While the opening graphic demures, “These recordings were never meant to be published. Therefore we apologize for the poor video and sound quality,” this DVD of the May 2, 1998, concert is a significant step up from the VHS version circulating among tape-traders. The sound and picture quality is very good most times; some mixing problems mar a few otherwise fine performances.
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DVD: Live at Moulin 1998 — Lester’s Legendary Last Gig
Posted in lester butler with tags 13, alex schultz, blues, dvd, eddie clark, lester butler, lester's legendary last gig, mike hightower, moulin blues, music, ospel, red devils on February 19, 2009 by J.J.It’s rare for any “new” Lester Butler or Red Devils material to be released now, more than 10 years since Butler’s passing. Which is why the 2008 DVD “Live at Moulin Blues Ospel 1998 — Lester’s Legendary Last Gig” is such a special document.
Recorded at Butler’s last gig, just a week before his untimely death, the DVD captures the harpist and his band (Alex Schultz on guitar, Eddie Clark on drums and Mike Hightower on bass) at the height of their powers, performing a stellar set at the annual blues festival in the Netherlands. That Lester looks so happy throughout the disc is a real bonus.
I’ve just picked up a copy of the DVD, though many of us have seen these performances in bootleg form. Over the next few weeks, I plan a series of reviews looking at the concert and extras:
