No one in horror and fantasy cinema has a track record quite like John Carpenter. From 1976 to 1994, his output was all near perfection. The last feature film he stepped behind the camera for was the little seen ghost story The Ward in 2010. No one expected him to have a career resurgence five years later, but it wasn’t with a new film.
Carpenter recorded his first album ever of original music and it was great, everything the fans could have hoped for. Lost Themes was such a success that just over a year later, it was followed by Lost Themes II. It was every bit as infectious as its predecessor, but this album was different, it was followed by a world tour. John Carpenter was live on stage performing some new music, as well as all the classic themes. If you were lucky enough to be in attendance at one of these shows, you would know just how magical the experience was. This was something us fans may only ever experience once in a lifetime. Not even two weeks ago, I discovered that he had just released John Carpenter: Live Retrospective 2016. It’s a live concert video and it’s absolutely glorious.
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Recorded live in London and Chicago, John Carpenter: Live Retrospective 2016 captures the music, the energy, and the excitement of being in the audience. Accompanied by musicians Daniel Davies, John Konesky, John Spiker, Scott Seiver, and son Cody Carpenter, they rip through classic tracks from films like Escape from New York, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, and Halloween to name a few. They also perform a few selections from his albums Lost Themes I & II. For seventy-five minutes, you’re transported into the world of the legendary filmmaker, enjoying it from the comfort of your own home.
Let me first get my one and only complaint out of the way, the disc is bare bones. It’s the live show and nothing else. No interviews, no backstage shenanigans, just no extras at all. I, personally, would have enjoyed to see something else on there, maybe a music video or two.
Aside from that, this disc is fantastic! Every Carpenter fan needs to add this to their collection ASAP. If you were unable to make it out to one of the live shows, this will satisfy your appetite, it’s the next best thing. If you did see the show, then you will have the opportunity to relive those magical moments you nerdgasmed over. This is the exact setlist you were treated to if you attended the 2016 shows. Every song is there, and you get to see Carpenter rocking out on stage with his band. They’re insanely tight and it’s evident they’re a perfect match for one another. It’s also great to see him sharing the stage with his son Cody (his mother is the lovely and talented Adrienne Barbeau). He’s a very talented musician in his own right and released several synth-driven albums of his own. During the show, there’s a screen behind the band showing scenes from the films of the songs they’re playing. It adds little extra intensity to the presentation. The concert film was directed by Carpenter’s wife, Sandy King, who does a brilliant job. Every angle is covered and you couldn’t have asked for a better sound mix.
I attended the show in Detroit on that particular tour, and it was an evening I’ll never forget. Being able to watch what is, essentially, the same show in the privacy of my own home really takes me back to the time I spent in that room. Of course, you can’t replicate the excitement of being in the crowd, but this disc allows you to keep those moments.
The disc is available now from Storm King Productions.
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