In the run up to the J. Geils Band’s early-1980s-era hitmaking period, they still possessed the bluesy party-band grit of their earliest days.

Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett blasted the ‘Sum of the Parts’ documentary as incomplete, even biased. He was right.

Michael McDonald can come off as a guilty pleasure, principally because his voice was so often caught in a web of too-slick production. Not here.

The picture is grainy, the sound far too tinny. Still, there’s no denying the magic going on as Bob Marley returns to “Is This Love.”

The majesty of Jeff Beck at his best isn’t just his technical prowess. It’s how he charges through boundaries like a paper pre-game banner.

The rockabilly punk of “Rip This Joint” provides an early glimpse into how Ron Wood would fit in with the Rolling Stones.

Mick Jagger’s take on “Waiting on a Friend,” from the Rolling Stones’ newly issued ‘Hampton Coliseum – Live In 1981,’ becomes a character study.

A recommended entry point for anyone who came to Genesis via the MTV era hits, and is now curious about what came before.

This isn’t just another evening of string-laden songcraft from Deep Purple; it’s a big-bang moment for the group’s next era.

Deep Purple is reliably good on ‘Celebrating Jon Lord.’ The surprises, however, come from one-of-a-kind combinations of acolytes and fans.