8 Coolest Concert Films

This Is It (2009)

Talent: Michael Jackson

Why It Rocks: Despite all the scandal that swirled around his life and his recent death, Jackson could certainly rustle up an amazing stage performance.

With the now-aborted tour, he had plans to bring the magic back and remind everyone why he was so popular. We'll never get to see the final product, but this is a blend of behind-the-scenes rehearsals, interviews and videos created for the show (such as a 3D take on Thriller) that should work well for fans and bring in some new ones.

It arrives in cinemas on Wednesday, and is currently planned for a limited run, so if you're looking to see it, you'd best get to buying tickets if you haven't already.

All Tomorrow's Parties (2009)

Talent: Belle And Sebastian, Les Savy Fav, Mars Volta, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Iggy And The Stooges

Why It Rocks: It's more than just a straightforward concert pic (though there's some great footage of the bands in action) - shot largely by the fans and the musos themselves, it peeks into the heart of the event and also picks up some of the vibe.

It's the closest you can likely come to actually attending the thing without the smells. Not necessarily a bad thing, to be honest...

But if you want to experience the film the way it should be seen - welded to live sets from the likes of Les Savy Fav - check out the tour that has just kicked off.

The Last Waltz (1978)

Talent: The Band, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters

Why It Rocks: No less a filmmaker than Martin Scorsese created this fascinating look at a group winding down with one big, final concert.

Scorsese brought 35mm glory to the concert film and also rounded up the members of The Band for penetrating interviews conducted while they were on their final tour.

Mixing live footage, material shot on a soundstage and the chats with the musicians, it unpeels their inspirations to perfection.

Plus you get to enjoy the likes of Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Neil Diamon and Eric Clapton joining The Band on stage.

Stop Making Sense (1984)

Talent: Talking Heads

Why It Rocks: David Byrne and co suit up to strut the stage, bringing out ace tunes like Psycho Killer and Burning Down The House.

After the band themselves raised the $1.2 million to shoot the thing during their Speaking In Tongues Tour, director Jonathan Demme opted to play with the idea of what a film like this should be, leading to one of the best of the genre.

Unusually, it features almost no footage of the audience, which was designed to give the viewer the ability to "form their own opinion", while Byrne refused to have coloured lights during the performance, which leads to some strange-looking shots.

Neil Young: Heart Of Gold (2006)

Talent: Neil Young, Emmylou Harris

Why It Rocks : Demme again, this time mixing concert film with engaging documentary as Neil Young goes through one of the more traumatic times of his life (a brain aneurysm, the death of his father) as he records a new album and tours to promote it.

Fans of classic Young tracks will also be pleased by the decision to bolster the running time with a selection of previous work picked by the man himself.

Heartbreaking, insightful and ultimately uplifting, it's another great job from the director.

Gimme Shelter (1970)

Talent: The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner

Why It Rocks: Less a movie about one straight concert, more a tour doc that follows Mick, Keef and co as they tour the US in 1969.

Rambling, rocking and raucous, it's the perfect document of the Stones at their height (not that they've ever truly gone away) and boasts one unexpected, if tragic bonus.

Not every film of this type can claim to feature a murder - but Gimme Shelter's makers were present at the disastrous Altamont Free Concert, at which a woman pulled out a gun and was stabbed by one of the security men. Hiring the Hell's Angels to protect the gig? Not a good call…

The Song Remains The Same (1976)

Talent: Led Zeppelin

Why It Rocks: Notable almost more for the drama that happened around the film itself, TSRTS chronicles the Zep's performances in the US in 1973. After all, it's not every concert pic that sees the director removed during shooting.

Filmmaker Joe Massot was asked personally to shoot the thing, but burly band manager Peter Grant grew dissatisfied with what he was seeing in the rough cuts and made him step down.

Highlights? Easy: Grant haranguing a concert promoter with a string of foul language and police chasing down a half-naked interloper.

Don't Look Back (1967)

Talent: Bob Dylan, Alan Price, Joan Baez

Why It Rocks: Cinema verite pioneer DA Pennebaker follows Dylan's 1965 UK tour and the result is widely praised for its portrait of an arrogant young musical god.

Dylan's verbal rumble with journalist Horace Freeland Johnson is captured in full and there's great material from his Royal Albert Hall gig.

Not only does the opening of the film contain one of the most iconic music moments - Dylan using cue cards during the singing of Subterranean Homesick Blues, but also such memorable moments as Dylan asking Alan Price why he left the animals and his devastating performance of It's All Over Now, Baby Blue.