Cro-Mags – The Final Quarrel: Live at CBGB 2001 DVD
Music Video Distributors
The Cro Mags were a New York hardcore band that started in the 1980s and were kind of a big deal during the NYHC heyday in the mid to late 1980s. They put out a few records but it was really just the first one that anyone cared about. They developed quite the following of hooded sweatshirt donning kids back then but the band became probably more legendary for the constant infighting amongst band members than they did for making music. I distinctly remember reading story after story of one band member “screwing over” the other, threats, violence, lawsuits, jail time, etc.
It would appear that time may heal all wounds, or at least money might as the band has reunited a couple times over the years and that is where this DVD comes in. This DVD features is the band’s final show together doing a reunion at the now defunct CBGB’s (where they were a mainstay during their prime) in 2001. The setlist consists mainly of material from the first album, which was the one everyone wants to hear as it was their best. The band rips through their set in about a half hour to an extremely enthusiastic crowd.
The back of the DVD says this is filmed on multiple cameras but it never appeared during the main feature that it was done on more than one. It was shot from near the back of the club and there wasn’t a whole lot of movement to the camera outside of a little panning and zooming. The video is full frame and the quality is about on par with a decent bootleg you’d get back in the tape trading days. The audio has two options; stereo and 5.1 surround with the stereo option sounding much better.
There is a pretty good amount of bonus material on the disc including a 30 minute set of Harley’s War which was one of Harley’s post Cro-Mags bands and as you may guess they do a whole bunch of Cro-Mags songs. The video on this one was shot on more than one camera and is a lot better and clearer quality as is the audio. Additionally there are a couple of other live clips of Harley’s War as well as a little feature on CBGBs right before they closed. The bonus material was pretty entertaining but it’s obvious that Harley’s War was no Cro-Mags.
Considering the rather poor quality of the footage for the main feature, you’ll probably only want this if you are a die-hard Cro-Mags fan as it does capture the band in a very good performance which allegedly was their last. Casual fans or those curious to hear what they sound like would be better served picking up the CD that compiles the first two albums.
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