Gary Lewis

No one expects a revelation to come out of the concert video -- interspersed with interview segments -- by Gary Lewis and his current crop of Playboys; at this late date, whatever band he's working with is essentially learning to play his 1960s records live; the goal is definitely not to surprise anybody, but to play the songs the audience knows the way the audience knew them back when. They do just that here, with a group whose drummer is the only one who shows any special enthusiasm -- Lewis plays a little rhythm guitar and takes over on the drums for "Look Through Any Window," but it's obviously his singing is what matters, and he's still in good shape there, and actually better looking today than he was 40 years ago. He's still sort of the Ur-nerd, the über-nebbish with glasses, and today the fact that he has a career even on the oldies circuit is, in a way, as inspiring to ex-gawky kids as the songs he did about lost loves and hopeless loves back when were to those same people when they were kids. Each song gets its own chapter marker, the image is good (letterboxed at about 1.66-to-1), and sound is better. The only listed extra is an extended, very honest interview with Lewis, excerpts from which appear between the songs (he is at his funniest telling of getting pointers on the drums at age five from one of his father's friends who dropped by the house, Buddy Rich; and he heaps praise upon producer Snuff Garrett). There's a charm about the interview that makes it more valuable than the show, which is a lot of fun, unambitious though it is; and the vintage clips from Ed Sullivan are a lot of fun as well. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide