Live baby live: November 2025

Beatles near and far, Cindy Lee, Robert Plant and more

This month’s capsule film reviews:

Bugonia. Loved it, all of it (except the closing montage). Yet I would not recommend it to anyone.

Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery: Perfect, no notes. And I almost never say that about a music documentary.

I saw a packed matinee screening at the Fox, weeks after it was made available to stream for free on CBC Gem. The film gets extra points from me for properly crediting the tech and road crews who made the tour happen. Also, wow, that Sinead O’Connor scene.

I do, however, hope that anyone dazzled by the Lilith environment goes to a folk festival this summer.

The best quote, and forgive me for forgetting who says it, is that Lilith may have been a radical concept at the time—but the most radical thing about it was that it was so mainstream. That’s important for all fellow repentant snobs to hear.

No one, however, mentions Sheryl Crow’s radical act of PLAYING ACCORDION. Total queen.

Another accordion lady appears below.

For paid subscribers: live reviews of Beatles up close and far away, the enigma that is Cindy Lee, the legend that is Robert Plant, a rap anniversary, and garage rock back from the grave.

But first, read this essay by Naomi Alderman about Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, and working through grief.

ARE YOU READY?