I have a certain OCD tendency when it comes to art (film, music, etc). If I like a particular band, let’s take the example of Cave In (a hardcore/metal group from the Boston area), I get obsessed with them to an extent. Not in a shameful, “OMGWTFLOLBBQ!!!!11one!!” fan girl sort of way…no, my artistic obsession is much more measured and reserved. I simply hunt down every single piece of music that band or its members have ever created. In the example of Cave In, that means tracking down every album, EP and single they’ve recorded, along with the solo stuff from lead singer Stephen Brodsky, the side projects including Sacrificial Poles, Zozobra, White Octave Museum, Clouds, as well as their work with other bands (Converge, Doomriders, Disappearer). Then those spin-offs lead to other side projects (especially if the musicians involved are profilic)…you can see how this can become a dangerous habit.

What the hell does any of this have to do with Frank Zappa? Well, these same tendencies have stopped me from really diving into Zappa and any of his music in the past. I’ve heard enough of his art to know that I would probably enjoy it, but the sheer size of his discography is simply staggering. The amount of music that he created while he was alive is unbelievable. And to be honest, I’ve never quite known where to start with him. I have a sense that I would dig his material (based on song clips and interviews with the man himself), but how do you start to wrap your head around it? Well, thanks to the good folks of Eagle Rock Entertainment (I’ve extolled their work in past reviews here), this DVD might not be a bad place to start.

Featuring Zappa and his band from their New York Halloween performances in 1981, this is a pretty sizable concert at over 2 hours long, featuring 24 songs in total. The footage itself isn’t terrific by our 21st century HD/Blu-Ray standards, but it’s not bad. It basically looks like you’re watching a VHS tape. The concert is enjoyable. It’s incredible to see this band of musicians play through these sets with flawless skill and talent. Zappa himself is a beast, both as a musician and a conductor. Yep, he actually spends some of the songs walking the stage with a conductor’s wand, leading the band like some sort of prog-rock Willy Wonka.

The bonus features a tad thin, including a music video and a photo gallery…but don’t let that keep you from checking out. It’s a solid live DVD of an incredibly prolific and talented man and the people he gathered around himself to execute his artistic visions.