The Show
Henry Rollins' biggest impact on America is probably his band's rock-poetry hit, "Liar," but he's quietly put together a career as an actor and commentator that's quite impressive. His spoken-word tour has taken him all over the country, and the world, and he's got the stories to show for it, which he tells a crowd in Seattle, Washington, back in March of 2004 on this DVD. If the tour's title, "Shock and Awe," an ironic homage to the Bush administration's war plan, doesn't tell you where he stands, you probably won't enjoy the hour-and-a-half of observations ahead.

Standing on a simple stage, before a three-tiered theater, Rollins vomits his opinions about George W. Bush, the Pope and masturbation, before launching into his stories. His bits about masturbation are particularly hilarious, as he talks about his own particular habits, including a helmet and bite-plate. A self-deprecating sense of humor really sells the rants, which he delivers with a manic energy that few speakers could match. One disturbing bit, about having phone sex with a telemarketer, displays Rollins at full tilt, pushing an envelope of stage performance that probably could have remained unpushed.

While his opening salvos are great, it's his stories that are the highlight of his act. As expected, when it comes to his experiences with dating, they don't go smoothly. It's his lack of respect for the stupid that informs his story of a robbery attempt at his L.A. home, which he considers on of the most surreal moments of his life. While his first meeting with Ike Turner while scamming free food at the premiere of Kill Bill and his visit to Afghanistan are sufficiently weird and entertaining, it's his final tale that's the best bit on this DVD.

Working with Ben Folds and William Shatner on Shatner's latest album gave him plenty of material. Rollins' off-beat imitation of Shatner and the insane concept of the three talents working together make it a story that is beyond entertaining, as the trio works on a rant-filled song. It shows just how down to earth Rollins is, and why he connects with his fans. While he's working with two very famous people, he's flipping out about the session guitarist. It's these kinds of glimpses into the mind of a very intelligent man, who walks the edge of losing it, that make Rollins so much fun.

The DVD
A rather empty DVD presentation here, as a few static, and oddly full-screen menus lead into the show and just one extra, as well as chapter stops and audio choices. The menus are designed like newspaper covers, with neat transitions. The audio is presented in stereo and Dolby 5.1. The disc comes packaged in a standard keepcase, without an insert.

The Quality
The anamorphic widescreen video is crisp, with vivid color. Fine detail isn't too high, with the exception of the staged opening, which is crystal clear. Live stage video tends to suffer in terms of detail, and with Rollins' inability to stand still, it's no surprise that focus isn't the DVD's strongest suit. The audio can get a bit funky in 5.1, especially when Rollins is shot from above (as the sound takes the angle of the camera), but it's better than the stereo presentation. The surrounds are ambient from the audience, with Rollins' rants taking center stage and center channel.

The Extras
The only extra here is a set of photos from Rollins' visit to Afghanistan with the USO. Each has a brief caption explaining what's going on. It would have been nice, if like Kathy Griffin's Afghanistan home videos on her Image DVD, there was commentary by Rollins. This set was heavily edited to get down to 90 minutes, so including some deleted scenes would have been good as well.

The Bottom Line
Rollins' observations on life in L.A. and America in general are a riot to listen to, especially his take on working with Folds and Shatner. The DVD presentation is good, but not great, but it's not like there's much to his show, besides yelling and being goofy. If you like stand-up comedy, you'll enjoy Rollins' monologue, even if he's not a pure stand-up.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.