Review / Video/DVD Review
Iggy & The Stooges
Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans

I am a monster Stooges fan, particularly from the Raw Power era on to their incendiary demise (not a long time period in any case, I know), and was immensely elated to hear that the reformed Stooges mark II lineup was playing in my back yard. I purchased tickets with quickness and spent several months chewing on my arm and chomping at the bit just trying to not freak out that I was going to actually get to see the Stooges play Raw Power, and the wait only increased my anticipation as well as intrigue (would they be playing “Cock In My Pocket” or “Open Up And Bleed,” two of the best post Raw Power songs – or any other from that era?). The day of the show was awesome with plenty of memorable moments etched deep into my mind, and I was so glad that I finally was able to witness the pure rock’n’roll fury that is the legendary Stooges. Seriously, the chances of seeing them again are slim to none as the Ig is definitely getting up there in age along with the other members of the band, his “dum dum boys.”

Seeing this “film” is a trip because it takes me all the way back to that night almost as if I was there again, bobbing my head while listening to the band sounding loud, hot, and just right on point the whole time (though the set list is different). The songs from Raw Power look and sound like they were meant to be played in front of an audience [hell, the performance that Iggy (Pop, the singer of the Stooges for those that do not know) turns in would put to shame 90% of those that are 1/3 his age] , and seeing the post and pre-Raw Power songs are simply an added bonus to the set (though not having “Cock In My Pocket” was a bit of a disappointment that is completely tempered, however, by the inclusion of “Open Up And Bleed”). The picture quality of Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans is wholly professional and sharp looking (despite the title that could possibly indicate otherwise) while the sound quality is everything that one might hope from such a document. In reality, this audio visual work documents Iggy And The Stooges appearance at the All Tomorrow’s Parties as part of their “Don’t Look Back” series (where a band plays a revered album of theirs in its entirety), and Raw Power: Live In The Hands Of The Fans serves this function more than adequately, providing a snapshot in time for posterity’s sake and while this is not the legendary La Scala performance (the Stooges only gig outside of the United States in their initial run), it is the closest that most of the world will probably get).

If you consider yourself at all a Stooges fan, then this would be an essential piece of your collection, or if you enjoy having documents of concert experiences that you have had, this serves as a great document for what Iggy and The Stooges were doing at the time.