I’ve never been a huge Goldfinger fan, so when the latest ‘Show Must Go Off’ DVD arrived I wasn’t overly enthused. That was until I popped the disc in my DVD player. If this isn’t the best in Kung Fu’s series then I’ll eat a mesh cap. With more energy than a small power station and a clutch of anthemic songs, Goldfinger have never sounded so good. By the end there’s more sweat on John Feldmann than a fat woman on a treadmill and you can’t help but feel exhausted – but it’s an exhilarating ride along the way.
The disc was shot last year at the House of Blues and if you have seen any of the other ‘Show Must Go Off’ DVDs you will know exactly what is in store. There is an amusing commentary, multiple camera angles, band videos and even links to animal welfare sites. Kung Fu has learnt well from the previous installments of the series which often skimped on the extras – but this is back up to scratch. The live set is the main course, as it were, and the band launch into ‘Question’ with John dolled up in a smart suit. By the end of it he’s topless and has 1000 fans eating from the palm of his hand, but with such a crowd-pleasing set that was really never going to be in any doubt.
In truth this is an excellent DVD. Goldfinger‘s choice of songs is pretty much spot on and the crowd are absolutely ravenous, sparking huge singalongs for the likes of ‘San Simeon’ and a stage invasion for ‘Mable’. ‘Here In Your Bedroom’ is energetic and ‘Fuck Ted Nugent’ gets the crowd going. For ‘veterans’ the band never rest on their laurels and there are more star jumps and fancy-assed routines than at a Simple Plan gig. The crowd inevitably goes nuts for ‘Superman’ and ‘Miles Away’, but it’s the closing ’99 Red Balloons’ that leaves every single person watching with a huge grin.
This is the best in the ‘Show Must Go Off’ series yet and has reaffirmed my faith in the band. I actually dusted down my copy of ‘Hang Ups’ after watching this DVD, such was the level of entertainment it generated. Perhaps the significant part is that I’ve since gone on to watch it several times, something I don’t normally do with live DVDs. If you’re a fan of the band this is an absolute must purchase, but even then I’d recommend it to those with a passing interest.
www.goldfingermusic.com
Paul