The London Rock and Roll Show (film)
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| The London Rock and Roll Show | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Peter Clifton |
| Produced by | Peter Clifton |
| Editing by | Thomas Schwalm |
| Release date(s) | 1973 |
| Country |  UK |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The London Rock and Roll Show was a 1973 British-produced concert film directed by Peter Clifton chronicling a Rock and Roll Revival concert held at Wembley Stadium in London, England in August 1972.
From the late 1960s to the early 1970s, many rock and roll performers from the 1950s experienced major career revivals due to a temporary upswing of interest in their form of music. The Revival was marked by a series of major concerts in the United States, and also spread to Europe where events such as the Wembley concert attracted thousands of fans who came out to see the performers behind the music.
London Rock and Roll Show begins with excerpts from numerous "warm-up" performers shown singing either covers of 1950s hits, or original tunes, including a performance by Screaming Lord Sutch that threatens to end the concert prematurely when he brings a stripper on stage.
The main concert segment begins with Bo Diddley and continues with a string of other major performers including Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Bill Haley and His Comets. The concert ends with an extended performance by Chuck Berry, who at the time was enjoying major chart success in Britain and the US with his "My Ding-a-Ling" (although he does not perform that song in this film). Mick Jagger also appears in several non-musical interludes in which he is interviewed about the performers.
Although no soundtrack release occurred at the time the film was made, one was finally issued in the early 2000s, followed by several different DVD releases with different combinations of performances.
[edit] Songs performed
- The House of Shakers - "Be Bop A Lula"
- Heinz - "C'mon Everybody"
- Screaming Lord Sutch - "Great Big Coffin"
- Screaming Lord Sutch - "Looking for Mary"
- Bo Diddley - "Road Runner"
- Bo Diddley - "Bring It To Jerome"
- Bo Diddley - "Mona"
- Buddy Holly - "Peggy Sue" (archive recording)
- Jerry Lee Lewis - "High School Confidential"
- Jerry Lee Lewis - "You Can Have Her"
- Jerry Lee Lewis - "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"
- Jerry Lee Lewis - "Medley: Hound Dog/Good Golly Miss Molly/Blue Suede Shoes/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On"
- Jerry Lee Lewis - "Sweet Little Sixteen"
- Bill Haley & His Comets - "See You Later Alligator"
- Bill Haley & His Comets - "Rock Around The Clock" (plus encore)
- Little Richard - "Lucille"
- Little Richard - "Rip It Up"
- Little Richard - "Good Golly Miss Molly"
- Little Richard - "Tutti Frutti"
- Little Richard - "Jenny, Jenny"
- Chuck Berry - "School Day"
- Chuck Berry - "Memphis Tennessee"
- Chuck Berry - "Sweet Little Sixteen"
- Chuck Berry - "Mean Ole Frisco'"
- Chuck Berry - "Wee Wee Hours"
- Chuck Berry - "Oh Carol"
- Chuck Berry - "Little Queenie"
- Chuck Berry - "Reelin' And Rockin'"
Several different DVD releases exist of this film, not all of which include the complete songlist, above. Additional performances were also recorded, but not included in the film.
[edit] See also
- The London Rock and Roll Show
- Let the Good Times Roll, a similar American film released in 1973 and featuring many of the same artists but this time filmed in concert in New York City.
- Sweet Toronto, a 1970 concert movie filmed in 1969 featuring performances by Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band.
