Music Review: Go-Go's: Live from Central Park (DVD)
Written by: Kage Alan

Concert Rating: B
DVD Special Features: B

           Wow! Talk about a blast from the past. I had no idea what the Go-Go's new album was going to sound like or if would even be any good. It had been so long since we'd heard new material from a group that only seemed to be focusing on their solo careers and doing the occasional reunion tour that who knew what to expect? What a relief that the material was high energy and sounded as if it hadn't actually been made almost 17 years after the release of their last commercial album, "Talk Show." Even better yet as demonstrated on this DVD, the Go-Go's have still got enough beat in them to sustain a live show.

Filmed last year during their "God Bless The Go-Go's" tour, "Live In Central Park" includes the following tracks: 1)"Head Over Heals," 2)"Skidmarks On My Heart," 3)"Stuck In My Car," 4)"How Much More," 5)"Apology," 6)"Vacation," 7)"Insincere," 8)"Sonic Superslide," 9)"Automatic," 10)"Rainy Day," 11)"This Town," 12)"Unforgiven," 13)" Beatnik Beach," 14)"Our Lips Are Sealed," 15)"La La Land," 16)"We Got The Beat," 17)"Throw Me A Curve" and 18)"I Wanna Be Sedated."

The concert clocks in at only 65 minutes, but it's because the show comes on fast and furious and rarely lets up. Even though the Go-Go's were made out to be an All-American good girl Pop band back in the early 80s by their record company, they started out mainly as a punk band and those roots really do them justice in their live show. I've also always felt that music artists relating to their audience was an integral part of a show as well. If they aren't interested in making some bit of contact with those who paid to see them, then it can lead to a very dull and boring set. The Go-Go's talk to their audience just enough to be sassy and make sure the crowd is having fun, not to mention letting them know what their new single is.

That struck me as a little funny because in Belinda Carlisle's live solo concert video "Runaway Live," the only time she ever seems to talk to the audience is to announce what's been a single, what is currently a single and will/may be a future single. She's very dry and the only energy in the show is her actual singing. In "Live In Central Park," Belinda is much more animated and plays off her band mates in fine fashion. Of the tracks in their set, I wished they would have included another one of their other songs like "The Whole World Lost Its Head" or "Good Girl" from their "Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's" collection instead of doing the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated," but that's just a minor complaint.

The video quality is decent as is the editing of capturing the energy on stage. The audio is a nice Dolby Digital, probably too nice because it has a tendency to catch some off-key notes and other minor technicalities that a live show inevitably has. As for bonus features, there's 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage that take place before the show. It's mostly banter between the girls as they're getting the hair done and make-up applied but it's fun! Jane even learns something about one of the girls that she never knew. Gina also gets to pick on the stylist who did her hair and Belinda gets a number of calls on her cell phone.

The camera then follows the group into the van and it's there that things get a bit dicey. They have to wait for Kathy and Belinda, who is sitting right in the middle, rolls her eyes. Somebody's cell phone rings, then somebody else's, and Belinda gets a bit snotty. The driver has instructions to let somebody go in front of them before he starts out and Belinda tells him to ignore what he's been told and to move. They get stopped just outside Central Park by a Police Officer who wants to know who they are and Belinda replies "the talent" in her own snide little way. It continues all the way until they pull up to the stage and Belinda condescendingly informs the driver "Okay, you can let us off here." I mean, what is up with her attitude anyway? Has she ever listened to her last two solo albums? She ought to be grateful she has her career with the Go-Go's to fall back on. I really lost some respect for her watching this and I've bought every single album she's come out with no matter how poor it's been. Aside from this, there's also a 4 minute retrospective of the group talking about how they've evolved musically over the years.

Despite the annoyance with Belinda's behavior, "Live In Central Park" really does showcase the talent of the group and it's the group as a whole that counts in this case. They've been around for two decades and if this concert is any indication, then they'll be around for a long time to come. Hopefully Belinda will learn a little more humility along the way.

Kage holds degrees in Creative Writing, as well as Film & Video. He has been featured in a Life Journey Tele-Course, published poems in several national anthologies, been a contributor to The Third Coast Magazine and written several novels. kage@modamag.com