The 1980s semi-heavy-metal band and MTV darlings Mötley Crüe purportedly brought their touring days to an end on New Year's Eve of 2015 in this often emotional concert filmed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The performance is captured here in vintage music video fashion, with rapid cuts and various effects hyping the show's energy, with nods to the middle-age musicians' rock god stature. The music is the same party-hardy stuff the band always peddled, although the rapid-fire technique of spooky-looking guitarist Mick Mars coupled with the muscular rhythm section of bassist Nikki Sixx and ebullient drummer Tommy Lee suggests, as it always did, that these guys were fit for something better all these decades. Singer Vince Neil still has his voice but can only run around the stage so long before catching his breath (one reason why a pair of scantily-clad backup singers are on hand to keep the energy going). While there aren't any real musical highlights here—the band plows through the hits “Kickstart My Heart,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” and “Dr. Feelgood,” as well as the cover of Brownsville Station's “Smokin' in the Boys Room” on this 15-song set—“Saints of Los Angeles” is a better song that borders on Guns N' Roses territory. This is ultimately more of a visual phenomenon, including a flamethrower attached to Sixx's bass that shoots flames 30 feet, and a wild ride as Lee and his drum stand travel along a roller coaster that extends over the crowd and briefly strands the drummer—upside down—near the Staples' ceiling. Bundled with an audio CD, this is presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on the Blu-ray release, with extras including behind-the-scenes segments and interviews. A strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)
Mötley Crüe: The End—Live in Los Angeles
(2015) 153 min. DVD: $21.98 (audio CD included), Blu-ray: $26.98 (audio CD included). Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Volume 32, Issue 1
Mötley Crüe: The End—Live in Los Angeles
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