As a music publication, of course our favourite thing in the world is live music, however coming in at a close second most certainly has to be music documentaries – one only needs to look at the myriad of lists we’ve put together of music based documentaries you can watch for free online (documentaries 1, documentaries 2, documentaries 3, documentaries 4, documentaries 5 and documentaries 6).
Our pals at Melbourne’s Shadow Electric are very much in-tune with this idea too, having screened some of the finest music docos in the beautiful setting of the Abbotsford Convent. Making their return in 2015, they’re super excited to announce their massive summer programme of music film screening in the outdoor cinema over the next couple of months which will impress just about any music fanatic.
From the whacky worlds of Pulp, to live performances by Icelandic Queen of art-rock Björk (who’s just released a new record), exploring the fascinating story of the origins of Afrobeat, dancing to the revered Talking Heads live concert and then of course the iconic Hard Days Night of The Beatles, there’s a helluva of lot to look forward to at Melbourne’s favourite outdoor cinema spot for the remainder of summer.
The legends at The Shadow Electric have provided a little spiel for the upcoming films, with ticket and date information provided below.
Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets
“Sheffield, England, has raised dozens of great rock bands, but none as influential as Pulp. 10 million album sales and roughly 25 years after they left for London in search of stardom, Pulp return to play one final show in the United Kingdom. And what could possibly go wrong?”
Finding Fela
“Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (Taxi To The Darkside, The Armstrong Lie), Finding Fela is a colourful look at the life and music of the father of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti. A man so feared by the Nigerian government, but so revered by the rest of the World.”
Björk: Biophilia Live
“Where would we be without Björk? Probably still where we are now: in front of our laptops, doing online quizzes to divine what flavour toothpaste we are. Thankfully that chilling scenario is not a reality and we get to enjoy Björk whenever we want, including in this startlingly beautiful live performance of her eighth studio album, Biophilia.”
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Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
(Encore screening after selling out on opening night)
“Commonly heralded as one of the best concert films of all time, Stop Making Sense has finally been digitally remastered, and David Byrne’s suit has never looked more massive. Now it’s time for a new generation of filmgoers to dance in the aisles just like they did 20 years ago. A sold out session on a 40 degree night at the start of the year had the courtyard jumping with barely a seat taken, but the aisles were full!”
A Hard Day’s Night
“If a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is anything to go by Richard Lester’s 1964 film about the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band to ever live is a no brainer. Shot over seven days during the height of Beatlemania, A Hard Day’s Night sees John, Paul, George, Ringo and Wilfrid Brambell gallivanting (literally) around London playing slapstick versions of themselves. Remarkable moments include, but are not limited to: an obscene moment between Paul’s grandfather and a croupier; an MIA Ringo Starr and subsequent search party; a card game with schoolgirls; and a head-shaking concert at London’s Scala Theatre.”
The Shadow Electric 2015 Screening Programme
Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets
January 30th – Tickets
Finding Fela
February 1st & 6th – Tickets
Björk: Biophilia Live
February 26th – Tickets
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
March 1st – Tickets
A Hard Day’s Night
March 19th – Tickets
