IMAX film gives fans backstage pass

http://www.thelantern.com/2.1347/imax-fi...-1.99988#5

IMAX film gives fans backstage pass

By Carrie Lewine

Finally, there is a chance to go backstage with Carlos Santana, watch the roadies set up the stage for the Dave Matthews Band, get a personal performance from Sheryl Crow and score front row seats to the most sought-after shows; all without winning a radio contest or knowing someone in the business.

Through interview and concert, All Access: Front Row. Backstage. LIVE!, produced by Ideal Entertainment and now playing at the Crosswoods IMAX Theatre, gives audiences an hour-long taste of what several well-known artists think and feel about their craft.

IMAX Directors of Photography David Douglas, Reed Smoot and Rodney Taylor push the envelope, using unique cinematography to produce a film that is as interesting to the eyes as it is to the ears. The 12,000 watts of stereo sound complement the footage and truly make the audience believe it is listening to the musician or dancing in the front row of the show.

Beginning with a close-up interview with Sting, who seems god-like on the almost six-story screen, All Access captures the excitement of a live performance of Desert Rose with rai singer, Cheb Mami.

George Clinton and members of the Parliament Funkadelic come next on the bill. They whip the crowd into a groove with the help of the soulful vocals of Mary J. Blige. Between clips of their concert, the two artists describe what it feels like as the music takes over during improvisation.

Kid Rock describes his hopes for the future of the fusion of rock and hip-hop as he prepares for a show. Wearing his trademark wife-beater and glittering pants sagged below his hips, Rock seemed to feed on the rage of the audience in front of him.

Sheryl Crow accompanies herself on an acoustic rendition of If It Makes You Happy. Crow looks beautiful in jeans, a velvet jacket and bare feet. Her clear voice soars as the camera closes in on her mouth, her hand strumming the guitar and her foot tapping the beat.

The merging of old favorites with new talent is showcased in the performance of B.B. King, hip-hop group The Roots and Phish front-man Trey Anastasio. In an interview, B.B. King describes the collaboration as the passing of the baton.

The film also features such diverse artists as Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, Carlos Santana, Al Green, Macy Gray, Moby and the Dave Matthews Band. The engaging mix of performers produces interesting crowds as the camera closes in on faces of varying ethnicities and ages.