If there’s one word that embodies the challenge any maker of a concert film faces, it’s “capture.” How do you use cameras and sound and editing to not just depict live performance, but deliver its raw energy to an audience in such a way that even decades later, its power is palpable? It’s a difficult task, for sure, but it’s not impossible — as the 25 movies on this list prove, assembled as the iconic Stop Making Sense begins its upcoming theatrical re-release.
Because the line between “music documentary” and “concert film” can be a little blurry, we came up with one rule for this list: While we weren’t watching these titles with stopwatches in hand, we did require that approximately 50% of the film needed to consist of the artist performing for a live audience. It was an important rule, because what becomes apparent about this genre is how much context plays a role in these stories — context which usually only comes with an understanding of what was happening backstage that night, or what was happening in the world at that time.
Many of these films are iconic not just because of the artists involved, but because of what they have to say about the moment in time during which they were filmed. But also, many of these films are iconic because they take rock stars, our modern-day gods, and make them feel simultaneously human and immortal. As recorded by these cameras, complied by these editors, we witness the artist’s struggles, as well as their triumphs… all captured for posterity, the ephemeral preserved for generations to come.
— Liz Shannon Miller
Senior Entertainment Editor
25. Live at CBGB 1982 (2006)
Featured Artist: Bad Brains
Director: Richard Oretsky
There’s nothing fancy about this concert film, but the fact that it captures one of the greatest live bands playing one of the most legendary venues of all time results in a magnificent document of the ‘80s hardcore scene. Bad Brains frontman H.R. ruled the stage like a man possessed, surrounded by a sea of stage divers — only occasionally slowing things down for the band’s more reggae-tinged tunes. The mayhem fans witness at shows by modern-day hardcore heroes like Turnstile and Knocked Loose owes a great debt of gratitude to the wild precedent set decades ago by acts like Bad Brains. — Spencer Kaufman
24. Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
Featured Artist: Katy Perry
Directors: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz
There is one scene in Katy Perry’s 2012 tour documentary that should be cemented in pop music history: After receiving word (via text message!) from her then-husband Russel Brand that he would be filing for divorce, Perry is visibly distraught; she’s in the midst of her “California Dreams” tour, and she has a show that evening. She lets her staff know that she’s depressed, but allows herself to be brought into hair and makeup. She’s still sobbing backstage moments before the show starts, and then she steps on the rising platform and something clicks — her face constructs a picture-perfect smile, the light hits her, and she starts the show. It’s eerie and sad, the peak of professionalism, and this candid moment makes this documentary memorable. — Mary Siroky
23. Instrument (1999)
Featured Artist: Fugazi
Director: Jem Cohen
Fugazi concert footage — and plenty of it — isn’t the only reason to tune into this wide-ranging look at the punk band’s career, utilizing video shot over the course of 11 years, from 1987 to 1998. Instead, it’s an opportunity to look at the full spectrum of their ups and downs, as well as their eclectic history as a group. If nothing else, you must watch this one for the opportunity to see the band interviewed by the toughest of music journalists: an eighth grader with a public access TV show. — L.S. Miller
22. Rattle and Hum (1988)
Featured Artist: U2
Director: Phil Joanou
At the time, critics were quick to deem U2’s post-Joshua Tree rock doc pretentious, but nearly 35 years later, the film sings with inspiration. As director Phil Joanou chronicles U2’s 1987 North American tour, the band’s songs are given sublime reinterpretations and their appreciation for gospel, blues, and American folk music is on full display. It allows the viewer to bear witness to the sheer power that U2 wields live, while also showing a totally different, more vulnerable side to the band. Rattle & Hum is a decidedly earnest look at a group that just kept getting bigger. — Paolo Ragusa
21. Liza with a Z (1972)
Featured Artist: Liza Minnelli
Director: Bob Fosse
In 1973, Bob Fosse became the only person to win an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Tony in the same year, and the Emmy was for this: a rich and intimate capturing of Liza Minnelli on stage. It’s an eclectic performance, with Minnelli gleefully singing literal nursery rhymes and an explanation of how to spell and say her name, and Fosse’s editing mastery keeps the flow from one song to the next tight yet not restrictive. Sometimes, you don’t need fancy cameras and elaborate set-ups, to make some magic. Sometimes, all you need is Liza. — L.S. Miller