Review of Shine a Light (2008) by Joe G — 19 Jan 2009

Maybe the fact that the Rolling Stones are my favorite band effected my expectations a little bit. To be honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting. I do know that I was hoping for more than a 100 minute concert film. I wanted Gimme Shelter 2, but what I got lacked the honesty and rawness that I was hoping for.

And it wasn't just that Mick doesn't sing as well as he used to or that the concert arrangements just aren't as good as their records. It feels like a missed opportunity to reflect on a career that has spanned four and a half decades and the inherent irony of trying to be a septuagenarian rock star. There are old news clips and interviews, but there is no context to tie them together and they have little to do with the concert footage.

If I wasn't a fan of the band, I'm not sure I would have watched the whole thing.