Secret Chiefs 3: Live at the Great American Music Hall (2009)

"Live at the Great American Music Hall" captures Secret Chiefs 3 in concert with what many consider to be the best of their many lineups in 14 years of playing. Shot in 2007 at one of the band's favorite haunts, this film does justice to a group whose live energy usually exceeds the recorded medium. Renowned for their ultra-elaborate productions, Secret Chiefs 3 has also garnered a reputation for the power and immediacy of their live shows. Their fanbase has swelled in recent years and grown accustomed to this live incarnation (the Secret Chiefs 3 bootleg scene is thriving), and they demand an official release! At the show, Secret Chiefs 3 performs a set of both familiar and as-yet-unreleased music. The line-up includes Ches Smith (Xiu Xiu, Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog), Shahzad Ismaili (who also plays with Graham Haynes, Laurie Anderson, and Tom Waits), Timb Harris (Estradasphere), Rich Doucette, Peijman Kouretchian, and Jai Young Kim.