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Released by: Capitol/EMI
Released on: 7/4/2006
Director: N/A
Cast: Stompin' Tom Connors
Year: 2005
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The Movie:
The first ever DVD release for Canada's one and only Stompin' Tom Connors documents a show at Hamilton Place in Hamilton, Ontario Canada that was originally going to be broadcast on the CBC, who had been requesting a special from Tom and his management for years. The concert was shot on high-definition digital video and the end result is quite impressive - odd then, that the CBC rejected the special after it was completed. Much bickering proceed and Tom literally told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to 'shove it' in a letter published on his website. Regardless, thanks to Capitol/EMI the show is now available to Tom's legion of fans through the wonder of DVD.
For those not familiar with the Stompin' Tom Phenomena (which will be pretty much everyone outside of Canada), a bit of background information will probably be of help. Born to an unwed teenage mother in St. Johns, New Brunswick, Tom's early years were a little scattered - he spent time in the clink with his mother before the local children's services group snagged him at which point he was adopted by a family in Prince Edward Island. When he was fifteen, he left home and hitchhiked his way across Canada, working odd jobs and writing simple country/folk songs on his guitar. He wound up in Timmons, Ontario where, after working in the mines, he landed a contract at the Maple Leaf Hotel where he sang at night in the bar. He caught the attention of a local radio station and from there started to record his music. One of his songs was used as a theme for the CBC's long running Marketplace program and Tom slowly but surely started to build an audience thanks to constant live performances and a fairly steady output of recorded music. He had a few hits and clicked with his Canadian audience by focusing his songs on national issues and imbibing his music with some fiercely patriotic themes. Since the late sixties, Tom has been a fixture of Canadian pop culture, a true 'man of the land' who continues to record and play even now that he's well into his seventies.
So why is he Stompin' Tom Connors instead of just plain old Tom Connors? Well, his first album was actually put out as plain old Tom Connors but in 1967 he was introduced on stage as Stompin' Tom, a nickname he earned by stomping his left boot-heel in time with his music. He played a lot of bars and nightclubs in small mining towns and as such, these tended to be rowdy places. Tom needed to keep time for his music, and that's how he did it. Eventually tavern owners got a little irked as he'd mess up the wood on the stage and so he'd bring plywood along with him and stomp through that instead. The 'stomp boards' have since become an integral part of his show and more often than not, now that Tom is a Canadian institution, he auctions off the board at the end of his shows, autographing them and giving the monies to a local charity.
Tom's music isn't readily available outside of Canada. Rumors persist that he doesn't want it distributed internationally but it's just as likely that people outside of the Great White North just flat out won't know what he's singing about and not be able to connect with a good portion of his music. For those who do get it, however, it doesn't get much better than some of his classics. He's able to belt out rowdy drinking songs like the famous Sudbury Saturday Night and the Newfie-themed Gumboot Cloggeroo and then follow them up with softer, more nostalgic numbers like New Brunswick And Mary and make it look easy. He's not the most accomplished guitar player and if you said his voice was a little off you wouldn't be lying but there's a sincerity to his music and a sense of pride in his work that appeals to the Canadians who champion the man was one of their own. If the American's don't get it, that's okay.
At any rate, this 2005 show from Hamilton Place is a rock solid document of what Tom does and how well he does it. He rips through nineteen tracks, most of which are familiar to even the most casual fans of his work, all the while joking with the crowd and talking them up. He's a little older here and not as fired up as he is on some of his live records (1971's Live At The Horseshoe being a prime example) but his heart is definitely in it and he looks like he's having as much fun as those in the crowd.
The complete track list from the show is:
Bud The Spud/Tillsonberg/The Ketchup Song/Luke's Guitar/Margo's Got The Cargo/Hockey Mom Tribute/The Hockey Song/Big Joe Mufferaw/Believe In Your Country/Moon-Man Newfie/Rubberhead/Mirazha/Take Me Back To Old Alberta/Red River Jane/Gumboot Cloggeroo/Around The Bay And Back Again/Zakuska Polka/New Brunswick And Mary/Sudbury Saturday Night
There are a few tracks missing, hits like I Am The Wind or The Snowmobile Song and eclectic favorites like The Big Song, but for the most part this is a strong selection consisting of the majority of his better known songs.
In between songs we're treated to some interview clips with Tom and some footage of him interacting with some of his fans, young and old. One gets the sense that he really loves everyone who comes out to support him. For as long as he's been doing this there's no evidence that he's become jaded or tired of dealing with the public, instead he seems genuinely happy to meet anyone who wants to say hi or show their appreciation for his work. Interview clips spaced in between bits and pieces of the performance give us some background information on how he came to be who he is as well as his take on the music industry and his own career. These don't go too in depth but they do give us a glimpse into his personality and his mindset.
It shouldn't have taken as long as it has for Tom's work to hit DVD and the circumstances around the CBC's decision to pass on the broadcast rights are still suspicious but the fact is that the DVD is here, it exists, and Tom has at least been partially given his due in that respect. A career retrospective needs to happen, the man isn't getting any younger, as he's lead a really interesting life and had a big impact on the Canadian music scene of the last four decades but until that happens at least we've got a really solid concert DVD to enjoy time and time again.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Shot on high-definition digital video, the anamorphic 1.85.1 widescreen transfer on this DVD is pretty strong. There are some mild compression artifacts present in the darker spots on stage but aside from that the picture is clean and clear and free of any dirt or debris. Detail levels are strong and color reproduction looks dead on. A lot of times the stage lighting on concert DVDs can wash out the detail but because the lighting for this show was minimalist, that isn't the case here and you can see everything just fine.
The English language Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track is clear as a bell, there are no problems with hiss or distortion nor is there any reverb. A 5.1 mix might have been nice as it would have put the audience behind us and Tom up front but that's a minor complaint as the stereo track here gets the job done with ease.
While a commentary or documentary would have been way too cool for school, at least we do get three bonus tracks in the extra features department. Done alone with his acoustic, Tom plays Reversing Falls Darling, My Home Cradeled Out In The Waves and Saint John Blues. He introduces each song and explains a little bit about where they came from before he plays. Aside from that, the disc also includes animated menus and chapter stops that'll take you to whichever song you like. Inside the keepcase is an insert that lists the songs and the chapters on one side and the DVD credits on the reverse. The cover art for the disc is double sided and it features a picture of Tom and another picture of a stomped-on piece of plywood on the back (a nice touch).
The Final Word:
Stompin' Tom Connors In Live Concert will have limited appeal outside of Canada just because Tom isn't all that well known on an international level but anyone who appreciates the man and his music should add this one to their collection. More extras certainly would have been welcome but the concert looks and sounds really nice and Tom is in fine form throughout.