THE ROLLING STONES COLLECTION: A 4-Disc Box Set Of ‘Stones Classics – DVD Review

Shock, G, 507 Mins The box of this sweet four DVD set suggests that that the Rolling Stones are one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and after watching more than 12 hours of them strutting their stuff onstage you’ll have to agree. The quartet of discs here are… Sweet Summer Sun: The Stones live in Hyde Park, London, over two days in 2013, where they hit back at their critics who said they were too old (the Strolling Bones?) and delighted hardcore devotees with live versions of Start Me Up, Street Fighting Man, Ruby Tuesday, Brown Sugar, Midnight Rambler (an awfully cool and catchy song about a rapist murderer) and, duh, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. Hampton Coliseum: The first ever concert broadcast on pay-per-view TV, this live show from December 18 1981, as the Stones toured to promote the album Tattoo You, captures them in peak form and features all your favourites, as well as tracks usually omitted from more recent shows, including Time Is On My Side, Shattered, Neighbours, Little T&A and When The Whip Comes Down. L.A. Forum: The Stones’ tour of 1975 was the first featuring Ronnie Wood, and this was captured at the titular venue on July 12 and features the standards with unusual choices like Rip This Joint, Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, Happy, Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) and the euphemistic Star Star. The Marquee Club: To finish up, here’s the oldest filmed show here: from London’s Marquee back on March 26 1971, just before the release of the Sticky Fingers album. There’s less material than on the other discs but this does offer the chance to see live takes on such classics as Live With Me, Let It Rock and the oh-so-un-PC (but oh-so-toe-tapping) Bitch. (Bonus Features: Sweet Summer Sun has bonus tracks like Emotional Rescue and Paint It Black, while Marquee has some alternate takes and Brown Sugar from Top Of The Pops long before Scotland Yard got involved) Dave Bradley