We review the latest music DVD releases, with offerings from The Black Crowes and Calexico.
The Black Crowes: Warpaint (EMI) 
This is one that’s definitely worth a watch. Recorded back in 2008, rockers The Black Crowes play the full song list from their Warpaint album, with a few extras thrown in. Without any theatrics and hysteria, the sparse stage show lets the emotion be conveyed through the music at a smallish venue, allowing for focus on the songs without too much distraction. The band delivers a tight, at times rocking, set with some outstanding slide guitar by Luther Dickinson. From opening number Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution through to set-closer Hey Grandma, the band is slick without being soulless, precise without being passionless. Drummer Steve Gorman lays a solid foundation, while singer Chris Robinson is short on talk but big on performance. The Crowes look and sound like a band having fun, from the energy of Gorman at the back to the impressively impassive Rich Robinson on rhythm guitar. Personally, I think they’ve produced a better body of work but, if you’re a fan, it’s one to get. This one’s about music, not egos. — Keith Nicholls
Calexico: Live from Austin (MIA) 
Calexico are a national American treasure, but they are also severely under-appreciated. Take a look through your music collection and you will find the names Joey Burns and John Convertino in many album credits. They have played as guns for hire for Iron & Wine and Neko Case, to name a few.
This DVD release captures the band’s live in studio performance for the Austin City Limits TV show and was recorded in 2006 while the band was touring their album Garden Ruin. Cruel is an early standout with some great horn work from Jacob Valenzuela and Martin Wenk, while El Picador is a great Mexican-flavoured instrumental that shows off Convertino’s skills on the drums. However, the to-die-for moment happens when Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam joins the band on stage for a rendition of He Lay in the Reins. If anything, this concert shows a different side of the band from the one most people know from their records — and that is their rock side. It is really great to see Calexico rocking out and sounding like a punkier version of Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band. A magnificent gig from a band that is totally in control of their craft. — Lloyd Gedye