Live at the Bitter End

Tommy James & the Shondells

Overview

A consistent hitmaker in the mid- to late '60s, Tommy James and his current edition of the Shondells perform a set of their best-known songs in this live video, recorded at the famous New York nightspot the Bitter End in 2000. Tommy James & the Shondells: Live! At the Bitter End features 12 songs, including "Crimson & Clover," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Hanky Panky," "Mony Mony," "Crystal Blue Persuasion," and "Draggin' the Line."

Product Details

Release Date:	11/16/2010
UPC:	0766637306129
Original Release:	2000
Rating:	NR
Source:	Aura Records
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:22:00
Sales rank:	39,170

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Tommy James	Performer
Tommy James & the Shondells	Primary Artist
Tommy James	Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Tommy James	Producer
Ed Osbourne	Producer
Mukbil Aktan	Package Design
Martin Fitzpatrick	Production Assistant
Ron Ford	Executive Producer
Tom Senif	Package Design
John Lappen	Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Eddie Gray	Composer
William Hohauser	Video
Mike Vale	Composer
Jeff Barry	Composer
Bobby Bloom	Composer
Robert "Kooster" McAllister	Audio Engineer,Engineer
George Tomsco	Composer
Tommy James	Composer
Tommy James & the Shondells	Composer
Barbara Tomsco	Composer
Ritchie Cordell	Composer
Ellie Greenwich	Composer
Peter Lucia	Composer

Editorial Reviews

Captured live on-stage at New York's Bitter End, Tommy James turns in a lively performance with the 1999 crop of "Shondells." James, who looks a decade younger than his 50 years, can still sing well and remains an exciting figure on-stage, and he's got players backing him whose rock & roll passions are in evidence -- they're not only a tight band, but the flourishes they add, such as the electric bass cadenza on "Crystal Blue Persuasion," only enhance the music. If anything, the stage of the Bitter End, though ideal from an acoustical standpoint for a live recording, is too confining for James and company, who look like they'd be more comfortable playing at, say, the Beacon Theater. The camera angles are nicely varied and the sound is good and loud, matching the levels of a good audiophile CD. The dozen songs represented are a cross-section of James' biggest hits from 1963 through the early '70s, from "Hanky Panky" to "Draggin' the Line." The views of the crowd are sometimes very funny, showing off a significant number of forty- and fifty-something women, all looking older than James himself, totally absorbed in the music. The disc opens on a cleverly constructed main menu and an entertaining special features menu within, which offers easy access to a 25-minute series of interview clips in which James discusses his career (including a funny story about Roulette Records' Morris Levy), as well as a surprisingly detailed discography. ~ Bruce Eder