For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Willie Nelson super-fan. When I was a kid, Willie Nelson and John Denver were the two country artists my dad played for me most frequently, and their one-of-a-kind voices and incredible lyrics have stuck with me ever since. It’s a tragedy and a shame John Denver didn’t live to see the incredible musical legacy he’s left behind, but it’s a true blessing to have the Red Headed Stranger still with us. Happy birthday, Willie, and many more!
When a music legend of Willie’s stature and influence makes it to ninety years and beyond, they must be celebrated, and celebrated Willie certainly was with this gargantuan two days of three-hours-plus birthday concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, with highlights from both nights making up the concert film Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90. Willie doesn’t sing and play guitar for three hours, mind you. At least two-thirds of the concerts seem to have been made up of artists across many genres paying tribute to the iconic birthday boy, both solo and in duets with Willie. Highlights include, but are not limited to, Chris Stapleton’s show-stopping version of “Always on My Mind,” Gary Clark Jr.’s incredible guitar playing on “Texas Flood,” Miranda Lambert’s rousing rendition of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” and Jack Johnson’s hilarious “Willie Got Me Stoned” (based on a true story).
Of course, there are the fun things you’d expect from Willie concerts of this scope — Snoop Dogg sings along on “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die,” for example — but something I did not expect was how emotionally gripping some of the performances were. I’ve loved so much of this music essentially since kindergarten, and I know that’s not everybody, so I suppose your mileage may vary, but it’s performed with such grace and passion from all involved that I think it’d be difficult for even the most anti-country viewer to not appreciate the sheer breadth of the terrific music on offer here. I mean, how could you not at least applaud Willie’s son Lukas for his soaring vocals on “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”?
The film itself is cut up in a slightly non-linear way to make both nights of concerts seem as much as possible like one show. There’s even a helpful intermission (cleverly lasting four minutes and twenty seconds) and non-musical celebrity hosts to introduce most of the acts. On top of that, sometimes legendary artists come onto the stage unannounced in the middle of songs, and for a film experience, genuine big surprises like these help make it feel like you’re actually there live.
The camerawork is really strong most of the time. We often see great audience moments of dancing and tame canoodling between couples young and old. Rarely do we see any cameras or camera operators as they’re working, which helps the immersion factor enormously. It’s a true skill to choreograph yourself (along with some automated cameras) around everybody else in an unscripted performance environment like this to make the best concert film possible.
I only have one question about the film in general: where are the tops of people’s heads? When someone is singing, we want to see their whole face! This isn’t the first concert film I’ve seen where the center of some frames is the torso of the standing artist singing, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I just can’t help wondering why the rule of thirds seems so difficult to follow when dealing with verticality.
In any case, those few shots don’t dilute the fact that this is a rollicking good time for any lover of classic country music, or any music lover with broad tastes in general. Parents be warned, though — if you want to use this film to introduce your kids to Willie Nelson, there is a fair amount of swearing, along with the aforementioned marijuana references. The film’s setlist even kicks off with the one-two punch of “Whiskey River” and “Yesterday’s Wine.” Just be aware that this is Willie’s music at its honest, uncensored best.| George Napper
The concert film Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 is in St. Louis area theaters until Thursday, June 15. The largest amount of showtimes across the region are on Tuesday, June 13.
