Pulse: 60-Second Critic: CD/DVD: G. Love & Special Sauce, A Year and a Night
G. Love & Special Sauce, A Year and a Night
(Brushfire Records/ Philadelphonic Philms; $19.98)
B-
Filmed throughout 2006 as Garrett “G. Love” Dutton and his band played gigs great (opening for Dave Matthews) and small (a record store in California), this hour-long documentary differs from recent docs about WILCO and Metallica that developed strong story lines to appeal to non-fans.
Here we simply get a ride-along look at life on the road: G argues with the bassist about his clothes, then tells drummer Jeffrey Clemens it’s unprofessional to carry drinks onstage. (“Asshole,” Clemens mouths to the camera.) Those honest moments — and the realization that fans in Japan know about the Schuylkill thanks to G’s ode “I-76”—make this tour diary worth a look.
The “night” in the title refers to two sold-out shows at the Electric Factory last September, captured here on a 10-track live CD, along with concert footage that shows the band at their best — jamming onstage.