'Unwigged & Unplugged: Live Concert by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean was made during the Fall 2008 tour given by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of This Is Spinal Tap. The show presented here is the last stop on the tour which took place at Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The title refers to the fact that they perform the songs out of costume using acoustic instruments. What follows is an annotated version of the set list which appears on the back cover of
the DVD.
1. Celtic Blues (Verse 1) - This is an a capella parody of maudlin Celtic music. As far as I know
this song is only available as a download on [...].
2. Hell Hole - An acoustic version of a song from This Is Spinal Tap. This song appeared in its
entirety on the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack album. Here it is sung by Christopher Guest (who
played Nigel Tufnel) as he did on the album.
3. Never Did No Wanderin' - A song from A Mighty Wind and its accompanying album A Mighty
Wind The Album. In the film and on the album this song is sung by The Folksmen (Guest, McKean
and Shearer) and The New Main Street Singers.
4. Clam Caravan - A Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) song from Spinal Tap's comeback album
Break Like The Wind.
5. Rock 'N' Roll Nightmare - This is a very special treat, since, this is Spinal Tap's debut
performance. It is a clip from the television special The TV Show which was a sketch show which
starred Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. The sketch this clip comes from
is, as far as I know, a parody of the Wolfman Jack tv show Midnight Special. This song was
resurrected on Spinal Tap's third album Back From The Dead.
6. Bitch School - A classic song from Break Like The Wind. This is introduced by a story about
how the video which was produced for this song was banned by MTV for being too sexist.
7. Loco Man - The Folkmen's parody of Calypso music which was included in both A Mighty
Wind and on its accompanying album A Mighty Wind The Album.
8. Corky's Funky Dance - A clip from Christopher Guest's Waiting For Guffman, a mockumentary
about a show called Red, White and Blane which was staged by the citizens of Blane, Missouri.
9. This Bulging River. This song was written from Red, White and Blane in Waiting For Guffman,
but, it was edited out of the finished film. The original version of this song can be found in the
deleted scenes on the Waiting For Guffman DVD.
10. A Clotworthy Memo. A group presentation of a memo written by Bill Clotworthy an executive
at NBC. The memo details the edits which would have needed to be made so it could be broadcast
on late night television.
11. All The Way Home. This is the first song written by David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel
(Michael McKean and Christopher Guest's characters from This Is Spinal Tap). This song was
briefly performed in This Is Spinal Tap and was released in its entirety on Break Like The Wind.
12. Blood On The Coal. A rare live performance of a Folksmen song from A Mighty Wind the
album. This is one of a handful of songs which appears on the album, but, doesn't appear in the film.
13. Back From The Dead. A fan video for the title track of Spinal Tap's third album.
14. (Listen To The) Flower People. This classic parody of Psychedelic pop music is the song which
Spinal Tap are seen performing on an American TV show in 1967 in This Is Spinal Tap. Once
again this song appears in its entirety on the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack album.
15. Corn Wine. A rare performance of a Folksmen song which only appears in a deleted scene
from A Mighty Wind. Sadly this fascinating song was not recorded for A Mighty Wind The Album.
16. The Majesty of Rock. This is a performance of David St. Hubbin's most earnest attempt at
writing the great rock and roll anthem. This song can be found on Break Like The Wind.
17. Cheese Rolling. This is the original theatrical trailer for This Is Spinal Tap. A complete version
of this can be found on the This Is Spinal Tap CD Rom and DVD.
18. All Backed Up. This is a Harry Shearer song about how Elvis Presley died.
19. Stonehenge. This song is a classic parody of pretentious heavy metal music from This Is Spinal
Tap. This is the song that Spinal Tap fans will remember featured a Stonehenge monument which
was narrowly trampled on by a dwarf. This version is based on the complete version from the This
Is Spinal Tap soundtrack album.
20. A Penny For Your Thoughts. This is a terrific performance of a beautiful song from Waiting For
Guffman. This song was originally performed by Christopher Guest and Parker Posey and here it is
performed by Guest and Harry Shearer's wife the singer Judith Owen.
21. Start Me Up. This is a rare performance of The Folksmen's inspired version of the classic
Rolling Stones' song. This song can be found on A Mighty Wind The Album.
22. Audience Q and A. A funny and compelling question and answer session.
23. Cups and Cakes. This song is by The Thamesmen, who were an early version of Spinal Tap. In
This Is Spinal Tap the band are seen listening to this song on the radio. Again this song can be found
the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack album.
24. Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight. A fan video for the classic opening number from This Is
Spinal Tap. Once again this song can be found the This Is Spinal Tap soundtrack album.
25. A Mighty Wind. The title song from Christopher Guest's stunning film about folk music. In the
film's climactic concert this song was performed by an all star band made up The New Main Street
Singers; Mitch and Mickey and The Folksmen. A great studio version of this song performed by all
of the aforementioned groups is the title track of A Mighty Wind The Album.
26. Saucy Jack. A remarkable live performance of a previously unreleased song. This song is based
on a conversation between David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Derek Smalls (Harry
Shearer) at the end of tour party in This Is Spinal Tap. In their conversation they discuss the
projects which they intend to return to now that Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) has left the band.
One of those projects is a musical about Jack The Ripper called Saucy Jack. If you buy this DVD
for one song make it Saucy Jack.
27. Big Bottom. A Jazz version of the Spinal Tap classic. Once again this song can be found in both
This Is Spinal Tap and on the soundtrack album.
28. The Good Book Song. This song about Bible Stories was originally performed by The New
Main Street Singers in A Mighty Wind. A version can also be found in the deleted scenes and on A
Mighty Wind The Album. This version features Michael McKean's wife Annette O'Toole from
Smallville.
29. A Kiss At The End of The Rainbow. This song was written by Mitch and Mickey (who were
played by Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara) to perform in A Mighty Wind. This gorgeous
Academy Award nominated song is performed by Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole. Once
again it can be found on A Mighty Wind The Album.
30. Rainy Day Sun. This classic Spinal Tap song from their second album Break Like The Wind is
supposed to be the b-side of (Listen To The) Flower People from 1967.
31. (Funky) Sex Farm. This classic Spinal Tap song was originally featured in This Spinal Tap and
on the soundtrack album. This version features the rap verse, which as far as I know, was during
the 1992 World Tour which promoted Break Like The Wind. Which can be heard in the Royal
Albert Hall concert in the TV Special The Return of Spinal Tap.
Encores.
32. Gimme Me Some Money. This song was written to be performed by the early version of Spinal
Tap The Thamesmen. This song was briefly featured in a Black and White clip in This Is Spinal Tap
and it can be found on the soundtrack album.
33. Old Joe's Place. This song from A Mighty Wind is supposed to be The Folksmen's only
successful single. It also appears on A Mighty Wind The Album.
34. Celtic Blues (Verse 2). This is as the title suggests is the second verse of the a capella song
which opens the concert.
35. Heavy Duty. This classic parody of nerve damaging heavy metal music was featured in This Is
Spinal Tap and appeared on the soundtrack as well. This breath taking performance is an
outstanding finale for the best concert DVD I have seen, since, The Who: At Kilburn 1977.
-Kaywyn T.S Allison.
