Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble Live at the El Mocambo 1983

Editorial Review
In 1990, Texas bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan was just emerging from a long period in which drugs had taken their toll: the previous year's In Step album was the first he had made drug free, and the results were a marvel. But then, after sharing a stage with Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Eric Clapton, he boarded a helicopter to Chicago. It crashed, and the career of one of the great blues guitarists was ended.

Customer Reviews

superb music from a great talent

2008-04-26
I saw him live at the Garden States Arts Center in NJ years ago --this DVD brought back memories. This recording captures his great talent as a singer and musician well.

Another GREAT DVD on SRV.

2008-04-05
Got this DVD in addition to the Montreux DVD set. This one shows SRV and Double Trouble as they were on their way to super stardom. Just one year after the Montreux show where he was getting BOO'S from the crowd the entire show, SRV and his band picked up and were well on the way to becoming a houehold name when this was filmed. Far from the BOO'S at the 1982 show at Montreux, the crowd here eats him up, every lick and gesture. Price and content of this DVD are both AWESOME. If you like SRV, its another MUST have.

He could do it in his sleep...

2008-02-14
This is 100% pure music right here. I cannot add much but some interesting tidbits. As a bassist, I have read interviews with Tommy Shannon. In one he was asked if her remembers any particular gigs. He mentions one that nobody could possible remember (1987 in Boston or something random like that) as feeling, "as though we had all day between the beats to play." The interviewer asked him if he remembers anything special about the EL Mocambo show...."Nah...that was pretty much just another show in 1983...they were all pretty much like that back then."

That says it all right there. Those guys breathed together musically. Few musicians are fortunate enough to reach such a point with their own music, much less achieve it in a band setting.

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble Live at the El Mogambo (1983) DVD

2008-01-12
Dvd arrived in "record" time (bad pun) and was in A-1 condition. Very high quality audio and video. Fantastic guitar virtuoso. Jack Duegaw

Awesome!!!

2008-01-07
"Texas Flood" is worth the price of this DVD by itself. If you like SRV you have to get this one.

My Favorite Live SRV DVD, the Most Intense Performance of the SRV DVDs!

2007-12-26
In 1990, Texas bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan was just emerging from a long period in which drugs had taken their toll: the previous year's In Step album was the first he had made drug free, and the results were a marvel. But then, after sharing a stage with Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Eric Clapton, he boarded a helicopter to Chicago. It crashed, and the career of one of the great blues guitarists was ended.

Rewind to 1983 and here is Stevie Ray at the beginning of his fame, his first album with his backing band Double Trouble, Texas Flood, having just been released to critical and popular acclaim. The venue is the El Mocambo club in Toronto, a dark, smoky joint with a laid-back but appreciative clientele. Vaughan, drummer Chris Layton, and bassist Tommy Shannon share the tiny stage. The guitarist, bedecked in trademark hat and alligator-skin boots, is pale of complexion, sweating from the heat and physical exertion, and physically much smaller than Shannon, who towers over him. But Vaughan dominates, as much by the magnetism of his flamboyant personality as his guitar playing. And what playing: by turns fiery, funky, then limpid and surprisingly graceful. Here is an authentic blues artist captured in the throes of living through his music. At this early stage in his career he was still very much in thrall to Jimi Hendrix (the flower-power shirt gives it away), as covers of "Voodoo Chile" and "Third Stone from the Sun" (the latter a Hendrix-inspired guitar-abuse session) indicate. The highlight of the show, however, is his rendition of "Texas Flood," which turns out to be an amazing essay on the art of blues guitar. This is a raw, intimate, and spontaneous record of a one-time event. All fans of the blues will be grateful to those who had the foresight to capture it on film. --Mark Walker

SRV is King! 2007-11-25
This dvd is a must have--both for those that are less familiar with Stevie's mastery as well as die hard fans. Throughout this compelling performance he becomes one with the guitar and delivers the kind of show of which legends are made. Buy this without hesitation, you will return to it again and again and always be rewarded.

The greatest blues DVD of all time!!! 2007-08-06
You shouldn't have to read this review to be convinced to buy this DVD...just look at its rating--128 reviews with an average rating of five stars--128 people can't be wrong!!

SRV is ON FIRE for this whole DVD. Some people think SRV got better after he kicked his drug habit. I would say that overall his ability wasn't affected by drugs. Toward the end of his drug habit when he was being more and more consumed by his usage, his performances became more erratically delivered, but this DVD is PROOF that he was in his PRIME in 1983, drugs or no drugs! (But don't do drugs--I don't want to sound like a drug advocate! :)

The sound quality isn't top notch--a little muddy--but still good enough to do the performance justice. As a previous reviewer mentioned, this DVD captures an earlier time in the music business when TALENT and GREAT MUSIC mattered, not like today with the cookie-cutter little girls ruling the charts with lame, goofy mall-brat fluff songs and mediocre voices--grrrrrrrrrrrr! Take advantage of the wonderful technology of DVDs to transport yourself back in time when the world was a much better place, and BUY THIS DVD!!!

Must have DVD 2007-08-03
I am a long-time SRV fan, having had the good fortune of seeing him live 6 times -- half of those in small clubs, front row, before anyone else in the world knew who he was. This show, recorded at the El Macambo in Toronto at the very beginning of his career, is a gem. Yes, he's nervous and trying hard to prove himself, but there's no denying greatness when you see it. This show reminds me of the very first time I saw him in NYC with a friend of mine. We both play guitar and know a lot about music. We were impressed at his technical abilities for the first 5 minutes; then we thought he was just showing off and trying too hard to impersonate for the next 5; then our mouths were left hanging open for the rest of the show. We had never seen anyone play like that with our own eyes. It was like my unfulfilled dream of seeing Jimi Hendrix live. This show is very much like that first concert. Everyone in the audience knew that they were witnessing someone who will be regarded as truly great and original. This show is a must have for any SRV fan. I would also highly recommend this one as well, which showcases the beginning and end of his career, providing a stark contrast of his development as a musician:

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Enjoy!

SRV Rules! 2007-06-27
One of my favorite live performances ever! I could watch it over and over again.