Watch Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones - Live At the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones - Live At the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981 is a legendary meeting of blues and rock icons, a testament to intergenerational respect and musical fusion. This film documents a unique night when The Rolling Stones, during their massive 1981 US tour, made a stop at the Checkerboard Lounge, a small blues club in the South Side of Chicago, to see the father of modern Chicago blues, Muddy Waters, perform.

The Checkerboard Lounge was a blues hub, a place where fans and upcoming musicians alike would come to be immersed in the raw and powerful sounds of authentic blues music. In 1981, the stars aligned to bring the British rockers, whose own music had been so deeply influenced by the Chicago blues sound, into this intimate setting. This historic evening was captured on camera, and the resulting film is an incredible showcase of musical interplay and appreciation.

The film opens with shots of Chicago's nighttime streets, setting the stage for the gritty, electric atmosphere of the blues club. Viewers are immediately transported into the world of the Checkerboard Lounge, with its smoky rooms and close-knit audience. The ambiance of the venue envelopes the viewer, creating an anticipation for what is to come.

Muddy Waters, born McKinley Morganfield, is the principal figure of this film. Already a legend by 1981, his impact on the development of the electric blues genre is undisputed. Waters' commanding stage presence and deep, rich voice are highlighted throughout the film as he plows through his setlist with an unrivaled blend of authenticity and showmanship.

Accompanying Waters on stage is an equally venerable lineup of blues musicians. John Primer, a member of Muddy's band and a distinguished blues guitarist himself, delivers slicing guitar licks and solos, providing a searing counterpoint to Waters' steady rhythms. Lovie Lee, the adept pianist, fills out the band's sound with his rolling, jubilant keystrokes. Earnest Johnson holds down the beat on bass, ensuring the groove is solid and the swing is just right for both the performers and the audience to get lost in the music.

Without spoiling the unfolding of the evening, the film highlights the moment when members of The Rolling Stones are spotted by Waters in the audience, leading to spontaneous invitations to join the stage. This act signifies the depth of mutual admiration and the spontaneous spirit of the blues. What follows is a musical conversation between two generations and across an ocean, a blending of Waters' deep Chicago blues roots, and The Rolling Stones' love for and re-interpretation of the blues.

The film captures not only the performances but also the audience's reactions, the expressions of delight on their faces, the tapping of their feet, and the energy in the room that only live music of this caliber can evoke. One can feel the warmth and camaraderie among the musicians, despite their legendary statuses, as they take turns leading and supporting one another with an almost telepathic connection.

The performance setlist consists of blues standards and Muddy Waters originals. Each number is a lesson in blues music's power and influence, with guitar riffs and harmonicas wailing as if speaking directly to the soul. While the Stones clearly pay their respects to Waters, he, in turn, acknowledges their contributions to bringing blues into the global consciousness.

From a technical standpoint, the film is marvelously captured given the limitations of shooting in such a compact and crowded venue. The camera work is intimate, often catching close-ups of fingers dancing across guitar fretboards and the emotion etched into the musicians' faces as they perform. The audio recording is raw and authentic, preserving the night's live sound and conveying the essence of being in the room.

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones - Live At the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981 serves as a history lesson in music. For fans of the blues, the Stones, or just great live performances, this film is a treasure trove. It is a celebration of musicianship and an homage to the roots of contemporary music. It bridges time and genre, encapsulating the universal language of music and its ability to unite artists and audiences of different eras and backgrounds.

In summary, this film is a homage to blues music, a captured moment when greats from different worlds of music momentarily shared the same small stage and spoke the same language. It is a must-watch for anyone who appreciates the craft of music and the enduring legacy of the blues.

Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones - Live At the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981 is a 1981 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.7.