By: David Schultz

Over the last couple years, Tea Leaf Green has become one of those bands most associated with the phrase, "Dude, you have to see these guys live." Well, for those who have yet to experience a Tea Leaf Green show for themselves (and for those who have), their latest release Rock 'N' Roll Band, a DVD directed by Justin Kreutzmann, and its companion CD soundtrack of the same name, provides a nice snapshot of one of today’s most electrifying live acts. The DVD/CD documents Tea Leaf's May 19, 2006 performance at the Fox Theater in Boulder, CO. Although you get a healthy dose of Tea Leaf, the DVD isn't a full concert release. Kreutzmann compiled the footage into a documentary style production, artfully catching the band within its native habitat, on the stage.

The son of Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Justin Kreutzmann knows a thing or two about bands that thrive in the concert environment. In filming Tea Leaf on stage and at rest, he's provided a lengthy look into the TLG concert experience as well as some quick snapshots that provide some insight into Tea Leaf's personalities. Kreutzmann tries to present the band from untraditional angles, both in his filming perspective and personal insights. He contrasts the energy of the concert footage with one-on-one interview segments taped in the band's hometown of San Francisco, CA. The live segments are nicely filmed, giving an interesting close-up perspective as opposed to the traditional back of the arena camera angle. The one drawback to Kreutzmann's technique: too few shots of the audience, which, as the band says in the DVD, can sometimes be the difference between a good show and an incredible show.

The concert scenes and the interviews focus heavily on keyboardist Trevor Garrod and guitarist Josh Clark. As they are the two most talkative members of the band, it's not surprising that Kreutzmann featured them heavily in the interview segments. However, in the concert footage, Ben Chambers' animated bass is often relegated to the background and drummer Scott Rager appears primarily in the background of shots of Clark. The DVD contains some extras not present on the CD release. In addition to the encore of "Don't Let It Down" and "Sex In The '70s," the end credits feature Garrod and Clark's "Truck Stop Sally," the chorus of which might nicely sum up the band's philosophy. "If you want to get high with the band, you got to get the band high too."

One of the more fan-friendly bands, Tea Leaf happily allows and encourages their fans to trade bootlegs over the Internet. Although Clark pointed out to Earvolution that "we dressed up nice and shaved," Tea Leaf claimed they did nothing special for the taped performance. Consequently, a live CD seems, on the surface, like a teaspoon of water poured into the ocean. However, there's something here for everyone. Hardcore Leafers can appreciate the superior sound quality of the CD, which far surpasses even the best bootlegs. For those getting their first introduction to TLG, the CD provides a nice introduction to the band. The package includes exceptional takes on "The Garden (Part III)" and "Taught To Be Proud," their two most accessible songs, wonderful jams on "Jezebel," "The Garden (Part II)" and "Devil's Pay" and a relentlessly cool take on "Franz Hanzerbeak." If you can’t get into "Franz Hanzerbeak," just stop listening to music, it's probably lost on you.

No DVD could ever serviceably replicate the feeling of being at a Tea Leaf Green show or any other concert for that matter. While Kreutzmann's close-up documentary isn't the same as sitting in the front row yourself, it does give a good sense of how much fun a Tea Leaf Green show can be.

Labels: Tea Leaf Green