Concerts have proven themselves to be the tried and true perfect way for fans to experience some of their favorite musical artists and bands live and in person. However, for a number of reasons, whether it be financial struggles, distance-related issues, or simply not being alive at the time, not everyone is able to experience every great concert experience out there. Thankfully, concert films have come in to act as a worthwhile alternative for those who simply are unable to attend the concert in question.
Especially when a concert film is able to recapture and show off one of the most iconic performances of a band's career, it can be enthralling to be able to rewatch it anytime and anywhere. A number of concert films have even broken into the echelon of all-time greatest films, being some of the most highly rated films on internet sites, most specifically, Letterboxd. While a number of ratings may simply come from fans of the artist showing support for their favorite artists, the truly great concert films have risen to the top thanks in part to their amazing strengths.
10 'My Chemical Romance: The Black Parade Is Dead!' (2008)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.38/5
The Black Parade is Dead shows the iconic rock band My Chemical Romance's final performance as their onstage characters, The Black Parade. The story of The Black Parade centers around a dying character known as The Patient, who reflects on events throughout his life while he is confronted by Death in the form of his fondest memory, his father taking him to see a marching band.
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Keep a close eye on these stars.The Black Parade is Dead acts as a perfect book-capping send-off to some of the most iconic characters and songs that have ever been created by My Chemical Romance. The show is similarly decorated similarly to the band as their characters, fully encapsulating the strength of the story of The Black Parade as well as the powerful undeniable energy of the songs being performed.
9 'The 1975 'At Their Very Best' Live from Madison Square Garden' (2022)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.39/5
The 1975 'At Their Very Best' Live from Madison Square Garden follows English pop rock band The 1975 performing at New York City's Madison Square Garden in support of their fifth studio album. On top of songs from their fifth album Being Funny in a Foreign Language, the band also performed a number of their most iconic songs including It's Not Living and Give Yourself a Try.
Few concert films are able to effectively recapture the powerful energy of actually being in a packed concert stadium in person, yet this film masterfully makes its audience feel as if they are in the front seats at Madison Square Garden. Especially with how wild and chaotic the performance at the center actually becomes, this easily becomes one of the most exciting, interesting, and engaging concert films, even to those who aren't already fans of the band.
8 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' (2023)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.43/5
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is the cinematic transformation of the groundbreaking Eras Tour concert run, which acted as worldwide phenomenon Taylor Swift's culmination of over 17 years and 10 albums of music. As the concert goes through every era of Swift's long and iconic music career, the concert in itself shifts and transforms to create a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience.
It's no surprise that one of the most successful and well-regarded concert runs of all time would equate to an equally exciting and enthralling concert film, which The Eras Tour delivers in every way. It's truly mesmerizing to watch an artist's entire discography transformed and reimagined into a singular beautiful and effective concert, with all the ups and downs of their work creating a beautiful historic experience. The film has already made massive waves at the box office and will continue to do so, as a result of the undeniable power of Taylor Swift.
7 'Kendrick Lamar's The Big Steppers Tour: Live from Paris' (2022)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.44/5
The Big Steppers Tour is the fifth concert tour by iconic rap artist Kendrick Lamar, in support of his album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Accompanied by opening acts by Baby Keem and Tanna Leone, the concert tells the story of Mr. Morale, who is tasked with exiting his comfort zone through therapy.
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They're appearance was an unexpected surprise.Lamar's stage presence and emphatic musical abilities have always been signature to both his songs and his on-stage performances, with The Big Steppers Tour being considered by fans to be his greatest concert. The concert film is equally able to recapture all the greatest and most enthralling moments of the concert, as it allows for every masterful aspect of the performance to shine through in expert fashion.
6 'Alice In Chains: MTV Unplugged' (1996)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.44/5
Alice in Chains: MTV Unplugged sees rock band Alice in Chains performing their first concert in two and a half years at the Brooklyn's Academy of Music's Majestic Theater for the TV series MTV Unplugged. After an absence from live music for such an extended period, the band returns in full force to perform a legendary 13-song set, featuring songs such as Heaven Beside You, Rooster, and Would?
While MTV Unplugged had its fair share of amazing and memorable live performances over the years, the return of Alice in Chains was a defining moment for the show as a whole. The amazing transformation of some of Alice in Chains' most iconic songs into acoustic versions works tremendously for the live performance, bringing out the emotional power of the songs in a way only live performance can.
5 'Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour' (2018)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.45/5
Reputation Stadium Tour is a concert film following her highly successful and memorable fifth concert tour, which launched in support of her sixth studio album, Reputation. Transformed from the performance in Dallas, the concert reflects all of the themes and iconic visuals of the Reputation era, making for one of the most energizing and visually enthralling concerts to come from Swift.
Before The Eras Tour redefined what a Taylor Swift concert film could even be, Reputation Stadium Tour was previously Swift's biggest and most popular concert tour. Its popularity makes sense when considering the powerful energy on display throughout the entire concert, making full opportunity of the possibilities from Reputation's music and themes. The concert film's release on Netflix only allowed for even more of Swift's fans to experience the amazing concert experience and all of its visually stunning glory.
4 'Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions' (2020)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.45/5
One of the few concert films to be directed by the musical artist in question, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions is a much more intimate and personal take on a concert film experience. The film sees Taylor Swift performing each song from her album folklore in order, yet on top of simply playing the songs in the iconic recording studio, she also reveals the meaning and stories behind all 17 tracks for the first time.
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From Taylor Swift's 'Miss Americana' to Beyoncé's 'Homecoming,' these documentaries will take you beyond the music.Music has always acted as an art form of passion and emotion, and to see an artist be fully vulnerable and provide a glimpse into their life and inspiration is an unprecedented choice for a concert film. It's a decision that genuinely makes The Long Pond Studio Sessions unlike any other concert film out there, as it toes the line between simply being a concert film and being a genuine documentary on the impact and making of folklore.
3 'Nirvana: Unplugged In New York' (1993)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.48/5
Nirvana: Unplugged In New York sees the iconic rock band Nirvana performing an acoustic rendition of their songs at Sony Music Studios in New York for the TV series MTV Unplugged. Unlike the tradition of playing a band's most well-regarded songs for the show, Nirvana chose to primarily play their lesser-known material, on top of covers of songs by other artists, including Vaselines, David Bowie, and Meat Puppets.
Especially considering the tragic nature of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain that would take place in the year following this performance, it's difficult to not get emotional at this recording's somber and slower tone. Unplugged in New York acts as a perfect bookend to the legacy and power of Nirvana as a band, and shows that even when playing other songs in their nonstandard acoustic, Nirvana was at the top of their game as a rock band.
2 'Radiohead: In Rainbows - From the Basement' (2008)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.60/5
In Rainbows - from the Basement sees a live performance from rock band Radiohead as they perform songs from their seventh album, In Rainbows. The film acts as a part of a series of live performances from producer Nigel Godrich, known as the From the Basement series, as their performance was filmed at Maida Vale Studios in London.
In Rainbows was already considered one of the greatest albums to come from Radiohead according to fans, and the From the Basement concert movie only drives home everything great about the album and its songs. There is an undeniable strength and energy that simply comes from a group of determined musicians playing from their souls in a small room, away from the worries of the rest of the world. While quite simplistic on the surface, there simply is nothing like In Rainbows, as the Letterboxd community continuously finds itself praising the hidden genius of the concert film.
1 'Stop Making Sense' (1984)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.65/5
From Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme and iconic American rock band Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense documents the band at the height of their popularity, on tour for their album Speaking in Tongues. The band takes the stage one by one, joined by an array of guest musicians for a career-spanning cinematic performance where they play their greatest hits, including Psycho Killer, Burning Down the House, and Once in a Lifetime.
More than simply a concert film, Stop Making Sense holds an outstanding legacy as one of the defining cinematic achievements of all time. The film sees a masterful combination of the amazing music from Stop Making Sense in combination with unbelievable cinematic visuals that make one feel like they're on stage with the band in real-time. The film is so well-beloved that it recently received a restored rerelease in IMAX theaters, and Letterboxd loves the film so much that it even holds the spot as the #1 highest-rated documentary of all time.
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