I was just looking at the tv schedule for tonight and saw this was going to be on Houston PBS @ 8:30. Recorded in 88 at the Cocoanut Grove in LA Here's a description from the DVD as listed on Amazon: A special one-time event documenting one of rock and roll's greatest and most unique performances. Recorded live at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, Roy Orbison is joined by an eclectic ensemble of rock and roll superstars. Highlighting this all-star line-up are Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, J.D. Souther, Jennifer Warnes, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. Orbison and fellow performers spend a scintillating hour performing many of his greatest hits. Songs: Only the Lonely, Dream Baby, The Comedians, Ooby Dooby, Leah, Running Scared, In Dreams, Crying, Candyman, Go Go Go, Mean Woman Blues, It's Over, Oh Pretty Woman, Dream You, Blue Bayou, Claudette.
If you have never seen this, watch it. The Cocoanut Grove was a great room with great acoustics. This show was the last performance ever to play the Grove...soon after this was taped, the Ambassador Hotel (the hotel where the Cocoanut Grove was at and also same hotel where Robert Kennedy was assassinated) was fenced up and eventually torn down. The performances are amazing, plus they only had like a day to rehearse, so there are some interesting improvisational moments, especially from Elvis Costello and Tom Waits.
Thanks for the heads-up. I was lucky enough to see Orbison perform at the Austin Aqua Festival, less than a year before his death, if I'm remembering correctly. (may the Austin Aqua Fest rest in peace as well. ) He was fantastic. The guy hadn't lost a bit of his voice, and, after singing Crying, and getting a standing ovation, he did something I'm not sure I've seen anyone do before or since... he spoke to his band, and proceeded to sing Crying again, from start to finish, and did an even better job than he had just completed. The crowd went nuts. Of all the groups and performers I've seen over the years, I had never seen Roy until that night. I'm just a lucky guy, I guess. edit: I forgot to mention that this was one of those rare times when the little hairs on the back of my neck stood up and felt like electricity was moving around them... wild.
Totally. A brilliant collection of songs and a lot of goose-bump moments. Waits' little crack in the end during the credits is worth the price of the DVD alone.
