Rating: NN
Originally meant to be a TV special, this admittedly crude video features the usual suspects: George Duke, Tom Fowler, Napoleon Murphy Brock and the exquisite Ruth Underwood. It cuts back and forth from two concerts, one in 74, the other in 81, which features a young Steve Vai. But it’s the 74 set that dominates, especially the footage of Underwood on xylophone and vibes that illustrates just how hard it is to play those damn things. Not surprisingly, songs from Apostrophe (‘) and Over-Nite Sensation come off best, though perhaps a little dated. This was, after all, Zappa’s (overly) comedic period, and the goofiness keeps the music from gelling as well as it could and did during his Hot Rats era. It’s still a fun way to kill a few hours, and the Valley Girls doc bonus feature is a riot.
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