The Cult - Live Cult (Music Without Fear)
If hard rock's your game, then the Cult will surely be a name near the top of your list--and this 86-minute concert will not disappoint. This band is a whole that's greater than the sum of its parts; featured members Ian Astbury (vocals), Billy Duffy (guitar), and Matt Sorum (drums, late of Guns n' Roses) are not especially distinguished musicians, but the Cult perform with an energy that's irresistible throughout this DVD's 17 songs, drawn from their long career. What's more, the performance is straightforward and unpretentious, as is the video, which mixes in some black-and-white and grainy color shots along with the principal color photography. They may be preaching to the choir here, but if the crowd who gathered to hear the Cult at Los Angeles's Olympic Auditorium is any indication, that choir's in heaven. DVD extras include some 25 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage.--Sam Graham