Reverend Horton Heat: In Living Color

Throw the Stray Cats and the Ramones into a bowl, add a dash of George Thorogood, beat well, and you've got the Reverend Horton Heat, the Texas trio led by guitarist-singer Jim Heath, a.k.a. the Rev. These boys have been around for a while, and they're on the road constantly (over 150 shows a year). The result: the fans love ‘em and their rockabilly-on-meth attack, especially in hometown Dallas, where this show was recorded (in high definition video with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound) in 2002. Still, despite some of the trappings of the Stray Cats (Heath's fancy suit and fat Gretsch guitar, Jimbo Wallace's upright bass), Heath isn't the singing, playing, or writing equal of the Cats' Brian Setzer; and even considering the breakneck pace with which they race through most of their tunes (including “I Can't Surf,” “Baddest of the Bad,” “Marijuana,” and “It's Martini Time”) the Rev's music doesn't provide quite the degree of stoopid, sing-along fun that the Ramones deliver. Final verdict: a good time but you kinda had to be there. DVD extras include two mini-documentaries, “The Lives and Times of the Reverend Horton Heat” and “The Roots of the Rev.” Optional. Aud: P. (S. Graham)