Thin Lizzy

Shot in 1981 for German TV series Rockpalast, Are You Ready doesn't showcase the late Phil Lynott and company at their peak, but this DVD still rocks. The popular notion about Ireland's Thin Lizzy is that the band declined after the 1978 landmark double album, Live and Dangerous, and the departure of guitarist Brian Robertson. As this performance more than affirms, however, this unit always meant business on stage. Hard rock classics like "Jailbreak," "Rosalie" and their sole American hit ― the now mythic "The Boys Are Back In Town" ― are performed with maximum blood and thunder ferocity, and are reminders of how good this group really were. The 5.1 audio mix packs a hard sonic punch, capturing the dual guitar leads of Scott Gorham and Snowy White, with Brian Downey's brutal percussion leading the charge. Although there are some annoying imperfections in the picture quality, and then-newer songs like "Trouble Boys" tend to slow the momentum, the charisma and energy of bassist and front-man Lynott never let up. Are You Ready is a tough, unsentimental document of a still sadly underrated band.