Samuel Love2024 sees Mercury Studios (the label formerly known as Eagle Rock Entertainment) reissuing some of their catalogue in sparkling 4K UHD, starting with Mötley Crüe’s 2015 farewell concert from Los Angeles.
Regardless of how you feel about the music itself – I can’t say I’ve ever been a fan – it’s very difficult to not get swept up in the colossal theatrics of this show. Mötley Crüe turn all dials up to 11 for this epic performance with absurd pyrotechnics (including a flamethrower bass) and a drumkit that Tommy Lee plays on a rollercoaster rail over the audience. It’s all quite extravagantly – and indeed, knowingly – over-the-top, with a brash “fuck you” attitude to the band’s critics and non-believers. Here is a band that has always been unapologetically loud in their sound and theatrics, so it makes sense for this farewell concert to be this insane.
The band themselves are exactly as you expect them to be – lead singer Vince Neil is a little all over the place at times, while the rest of the gang play so fast and loud it’s difficult to hear any mistakes within the intentional chaos of their sound. Without the band’s charisma and attitude, it could border on shambolic – but Mötley Crüe have a way of making it work for them.
The film is shot and edited with a cinematic flair – quick slow-mo interludes emphasise the epic scale of the performance, but it is never indulgent. The action is well-captured without becoming dizzying. The sound is impeccable, too, transporting the viewer right into the arena with superb fidelity. The arena ambience and screaming crowd might often threaten to become a little overwhelming in the mix, but it certainly lends to the immersive experience of being thrown right into the crowd at a Mötley Crüe concert. Mercury’s new 4K UHD disc captures all of the magic of this concert with flawless clarity in visuals and sound.
Mötley Crüe: The End is probably not going to win over new fans, but acts as a wonderful final word on the band and their legacy. The entire film is unapologetically Crüe from the extravagance of the theatrics to the chaos of the performance. The set list is stacked, and plays like a greatest hits album that will thrill and delight fans. This explosive concert film comes highly recommended to fans of the band, and I’d also confidently recommend it to anyone with an interest in performance and live music. There’s a lot to love here amongst all of the over-the-top mayhem.
Mötley Crüe: The End is available now on 4K UHD from Mercury Studios
