Lace Group

THE DOORS ARE OPEN - THE MUSIC FROM THE DOORS (Roundhouse, London, July 9^th 1968)

As the Vietnam War raged and the world responded with political turbulence, The Doors played the Roundhouse in London. Captured here are dramatic performances of songs that convey the band's strong political messages about the war, such as a powerfully effecting rendition of "The Unknown Soldier". Onstage, Jim Morrison writhes in leather pants and white poet's shirt, flinging his curls and dancing to an extended version of "Spanish Caravan". The cinematography in black and white takes care to spotlight each of the band members rather than the audience, making this show especially intimate. In a section called "The Doors talk about their music", Morrison is drifty and unable to focus his eyes while sharing thoughts about songs he'd like to make, before the film cuts back into a spirited "Hello I Love You". "The Doors Are Open" is an intimate portrait of one of The Doors' unique live shows in England.

THE ROLLING STONES IN THE PARK - THE MUSIC FROM THE STONES (Hyde Park London July 5^th 1969)

The Rolling Stones were scheduled to play at a free concert in London's Hyde Park two days after Brian Jones's death; they decided to proceed with the show as a tribute to him. It was their first concert with replacement guitar player Mick Taylor, performed in front of an estimated 250,000 fans. The historic performance was filmed by a Granada Television production team to be shown on British television as "Stones In The Park". Mick Jagger read an excerpt from Percy Bysshe Shelley's elegy

"Adonais" and released thousands of butterflies in memory of Brian. The show had included the concert debut of "Honky Tonk Women" which the band had just released as a single. Their stage manager Sam Cutler introduced them as "the greatest rock 'n roll band in the world" - a description he repeated throughout their 1969 US tour, and which has stuck to this day.