I had a very rough bootleg copy of Ladies and Gentlemen for years and it rarely, if ever got any plays from me due to the poor quality. But the new DVD/Blu-Ray being released by Eagle Rock Entertainment is an eye-opening upgrade/restoration in the film's debut on the home video market. They've gone to great pains to make the film sound and look better than it ever did back in 1974. The film wasn't owned by the Stones for the better part of a quarter-of-a-century and in the late 90's they bought the rights to it once again. Nearly a decade later, it makes its proper home video debut in a stunning and bristling DVD and Blu-Ray. There is little to no grain visible and virtually no compression to the film, in short, the film has never looked better. The sound also reaches new heights on three separate and superb mixes with the cherry topping being a brand new DTS 5.1 sound that flexes the band at their mightiest. Tiny nuances like Jagger's harmonica, Richards spot-on rhythm guitar, Wyman's radiant bass, Watt's control of the groove and the splendor of Taylor's solos make this a release you will return to time and time again. No audio document of the Rolling Stones live performances is as bristling or boisterous as Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones; this mix alone makes it possibly the most important document to be released from the band in years if not ever.

Another key element is that the crowd is heard but barely seen. In fact, the stage is so snug that the band could have been playing a club and we wouldn't have noticed it. For all we know, this was done on a small soundstage with the crowd added in later. It wasn't but it shows the band as a tight-knit unit aiming for the jugular. The filmmakers rightfully put the showcase on the Rolling Stones and their music giving the viewer a front row seat to the action. With every tour the Stones have embarked upon since 1972, it's become larger and more infinite and it's tough to imagine them as a group of disorderly and spry musicians whose lifestyle matches their music. This is the first time one has been able to revel in the messy sparseness of the Stones performance up-close since the film's initial theatrical release in 1974. I wouldn't dare take anything away from any of their performance over the last 35-years, but Ladies and Gentlemen captures the Stones at a point in their career never seen since and seen by few before. All of the members are within spitting distance of one another. The music is loose and lively. Despite being on film, you sense that anything is possible.

The band's financial problems are discussed in the DVD Stones in Exile but in short, the band had everything on the line with the release of Exile and the subsequent tour. After losing the rights to their entire pre-1970 catalog, the band was largely left without a windfall of cash. This would be the first tour they embarked on since they formed their own label and broke off all ties with Allen Klein. There was no calling it in or merely going through the motions, the band staked everything on the continuing success of the band. Despite immense success over the previous decade Ladies and Gentlemen showcases the band at their most swaggering and smug. While they've never lacked confidence before or since, this album and tour caught the band at a rare moment where success was the only option and this fury dips over into the performances.

"B*tch" finds Jagger grooving out in a semi-sedate fashion. The grinding double guitar attack is up front (replaced on recent tours by a larger-than-life horn section). There are two horns here (Bobby Key's saxophone and Jim Price on a trumpet) but make no mistake; they only add embellishments and by no means overtake the song. "Gimme Shelter" is a transcendent showcase for the brilliance of Mick Taylor. "Dead Flowers" finds Jagger and Richards sharing vocal duties on one microphone. I'm not sure when or where the last time this happened. Then there's "Happy" for which Mick Jagger stays on-stage for the entirety of the performance and playing off Richards center stage once again on one microphone. In fact, it's Jagger who provides most of the vocals during the chorus. I've heard Jagger's harmonies on bootlegs, but never seen it before. "Love in Vain" finds the band in their preeminent blues glory. The slide guitar work by Mick Taylor is unmatched. The way the screen lingers on his left hand as it makes its way up and down the neck of the guitar only to sway back to his face with unharnessed intensity. Taylor doesn't move much, but he doesn't have to, especially when gifted with such prowess on the six string. He's focused on the task at hand and yet every note that escapes into the air of the arena sounds angelic. On "You Can't Always Get What You Want" spine tingling solo, Taylor's eyes mostly protrude downward and he does all the talking he needs to do with his hands. Ingenious touches and nuances make his time with the band largely irrefutable. The Stones break out chairs and acoustic guitars for "Sweet Virginia" which feels like you're in the middle of a smoke-filled blues bar. The 12-minute version of "Midnight Rambler" finds Jagger at the peak of his powers teasing the crowd with impeccable manipulation. The show ends in a wrath of force; "Bye Bye Johnny", "Rip This Joint" and "Jumping Jack Flash" find the band at their most primal. When the Rolling Stones hit the stage during this tour, they did so with a unified purpose to slay everyone in their path and they succeeded wildly.

If you still seek more than just the film, have no fear, Eagle Rock has provided bonus features as well. Sadly, there isn't any performance of "Rocks Off", performed at every show performance but left out of the film. However, Mick Jagger addresses this in an interview recorded earlier this year that runs approximately 10-minutes. There's also a 1972 interview with Jagger from the Old Grey and Whistle Test. However, the feature of most interest to fans is a 3-song tour rehearsal. The loose gruffness of the band is on full display and you see how they gelled as a 5-piece band. In some ways, despite their legendary status as a band known for being shoddy during this period, they come across like a dueling jazz and blues combo completely in command of their craft on "Shake Your Hips". "Tumbling Dice" sounds pedestrian, but make no mistake there is an innocent charm in the tune which was still new to the band when performed. It's probably one of the most consistent and dependable numbers in their catalog, being performed at nearly every show over the last 35-years. Hearing it here in its infancy is a treat. Last but not least is an extended jam entitled "Bluesberry Jam" that finds the band in all their ragged glory.

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones is an essential piece of history for not just the fans but for the Rolling Stones as well. It's long overdue on DVD; however, the wait had led to some superb remastering of both the film and sound which resulted in an astonishing final product. Eagle Rock delivers on this vital reissue. If you've only acquainted with the Rolling Stones of the last few decades, then Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones will do the impossible; it will make you feel as if you're seeing and hearing the Rolling Stones for the first time.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com and can be followed on Twitter

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