Jefferson Starship - The Definitive Concert (Remastered)

Filmed in 1983 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, Canada, this concert film is presented here in 1080p HD for the first time ever so everything is very crisp. This was during the band's tour to support their Winds of Change album and appropriately the show begins with that album's title cut. Film clips that tie-in with the subject of the songs are shown during many of the tunes and during "Winds of Change" the visuals range from scenes of ancient Egypt to astronauts. The band is undeniably hot; singers Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas demonstrate their powerful and evocative vocals throughout but it is guitarist Craig Chaquico who steals the show with his phenomenal solos and he gets plenty of camera time. Singer, guitarist and keys player Paul Kantner handles lead vocals on the Dragonfly track "Ride the Tiger" while playing guitar but moves to keys for the big hit "Stranger" from the Modern Times album. Slick, very aware of the camera, is seen mugging and widening her eyes throughout and she intros "Black Widow" with, "Have you got trouble with spiders? The male black widow has trouble with spiders; he only gets one shot at it before she eats him! That's nature's way!" The band puts a little funk in the song which clearly is not about spiders. After a take on "Find Your Way Back" Jefferson Starship flies back to the Jefferson Airplane days for a take on one of their signature tunes, "Somebody to Love," considerably rocked-up from the original version. Two more cuts from Winds of Change are performed, the melodic rocker "Be My Lady" and the manic "Out of Control;" "The Girl with the Hungry Eyes" from Freedom at Point Zero also rocks pretty good. The show ends with another Airplane signature tune, "White Rabbit," a scorching take on "Jane" where Chaquico for a moment plays guitar with his teeth and the protest song "Stairway to Cleveland." Jefferson Starship is rounded out here with Pete Sears, David Freiberg and Donny Baldwin. No fancy lightshow during this concert; just good old fashioned rock 'n' roll that's a good snapshot of where this particular lineup of the band, soon to fracture, was at in the early 80s.

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