Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones Blu-ray Movie Review

I think it is fair to say now that without Eagle Rock Entertainment the Blu-ray market would not have been the same. The independent distributor has given us some truly outstanding releases - Jeff Beck: Live at Ronnie Scott’s, The Cure: Trilogy, Quincy Jones: 75th Birthday Celebration Live at Montreux 2008, Jamiroquai: Live at Montreux 2003 - that belong in the library of anyone with a serious interest in high-quality music releases.

The latest addition to Eagle Rock Entertainment’s catalog is Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones, a legendary film that shows the famous rock band touring America to promote their classic album "Exile on Main Street: (1972). The film had only a limited run in cinemas in 1974, and this is the first time it gets an official DVD/Blu-ray release.

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones was filmed over the course of four nights in Texas, and the focus of attention is exclusively on the band and their music. There is absolutely no backstage footage or fluffy interviews with random stars or pundits. This is Rolling Stones at the top of their game, performing some of their greatest hits. Period.

The concert kicks off with a cracking performance of "Brown Sugar". The energy on the stage is incredible, and everyone seems to be in a terrific mood. An interesting take on "Bitch" is quickly followed up by the electrifying "Gimme Shelter" (arguably one of the very best performances from the entire concert).

"Dead Flower" lacks the energy from "Gimme Shelter", but Jagger and Richards are definitely having a good time with it. "Happy" gets the entire venue rocking again. The great "Tumbling Dice" is next, though boasting a somewhat unusual arrangement.

The bluesy "Love in Vain" slows things down a bit and is quickly followed by a terrific acoustic rendition of "Sweet Virginia". Next is "You Can’t Get What You Want", which in my opinion is amongst the best songs in the entire show - it has that unique classic rock rawness that made the Rolling Stones a legendary band.

"All Down the Line" sends the crowd into frenzy again - and is quickly followed by the equally brisk "Midnight Rambler" (with some great harmonica solos). The cover of Chuck Berry’s "Bye Bye Johnny" isn’t overly convincing, but Jagger and Richards’ enthusiasm is once again appreciated by the crowd.

The final three songs are "Rip This Joint", "Jumpin’ Jack Flash" and the exhilarating “Street Fighting Man”.

Jumpin’ Jack Flash


Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.82:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Considering the native limitations of the original source, this is indeed a strong high-definition transfer. This said, fine object detail varies, particularly during the stage shots. The lighting is not always consistent either, which is why occasionally some scenes appear overly dark. Generally speaking, the close-ups look good, though clarity certainly varies. Contrast levels are also inconsistent. For example, during the final third of the concert, where most of the crowd shots are, there are some notable contrast fluctuations. Practically all of them, however, are very easy to tolerate. The color-scheme is pleasing. Lastly, I noticed traces of extremely mild noise reduction, some of which are quite easy to spot during the close-ups. Nevertheless, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones has a natural though at times obviously dated look. All in all, considering the the native limitations of the original source Eagle Rock Entertainment had to work with, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones looks surprisingly good on Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three audio track on this Blu-ray disc: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, LPCM 2.0, and Dolby Digital 5.1. I opted for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is very good. There is a wide range of excellent dynamics, and the balance between Mick Jagger's vocals and the music is indeed very good. Additionally, the bass is pleasingly potent (good well rounded core sound) and the high-frequencies not overdone. Also, I was particularly pleased with the crispness of the guitar solos - the sound definitely has the organic qualities one would expect from a release such as this one. Lastly, while viewing Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or dropouts to report in this review.

I like to experiment with the LPCM 2.0 tracks Eagle Rock Entertainment include on their Blu-ray release as more often than not they tend to be very good. The one offered here isn't amongst the best I've encountered, but it isn't disappointing either. Some of the more impressive dynamics from the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track are definitely missing. For example, listen to "Love in Vain" to hear how much better (richer) the guitar entry in the opening is; there is a certain depth and clarity on the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is missing on the LPCM 2.0 track. During selected songs, however, Balance is marginally better on the LPCM 2.0 track.

As expected, the Dolby Digital 5.1 track is the weakest of the three audio tracks included on this Blu-ray disc. The wonderful depth and organic sound qualities that you would hear on the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track are simply missing.

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Tour Rehearsal - raw footage from a rehearsal session including performance of the following three songs:

-- Shake Your Hips (2 min, 480/60i).
-- Tumbling Dice (5 min, 480/60i).
-- Bluesberry Jam (4 min, 480/60i).

Old Grey Whistle Test Interview - In English, with optional English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, and Portuguese subtitles. (6 min, 480/60i).

Mick Jagger Interview 2010 - Mick Jagger offers an excellent technical analysis addressing the quality of the newly restored Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones. He also recalls what the actual tour was like, how the tour was filmed, etc. In English, with optional English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, and Portuguese subtitles. (11 min, 1080i).

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you are a fan of the Rolling Stones, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones is the Blu-ray release you want to have in your collection. This is the band the world went crazy about. Period. As usual, Eagle Rock Entertainment do not disappoint - their Blu-ray release of Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones is terrific. It is also priced right. Absolutely, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.