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 2016, 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.
The 2016 music-cinema program includes:
Australian premiere of the new Blur documentary New World Towers (2015)
Blur’s new documentary film New World Towers charts the iconic British band’s journey in recent years. From an unexpected break in Hong Kong which sowed the seeds for their first album as a four piece in 16 years, to a glorious home coming show in London’s Hyde Park and, finally, the emotional reunion with their Hong Kong audience, this isn’t just a chance to witness the band at the height of their powers, but also an opportunity to see them at their most raw and candid.
Screening 2nd & 7th January – Tickets
808 (2015)
A documentary film about the inspiring story of the Roland TR-808 drum machine. It’s the tale of the birth of electronic music, and how one small machine changed the musical landscape forever… by accident. It’s the story of a sound that has been embraced by the world’s top producers and performers, and has been name-checked on a whole host of hit records. Associated with numerous musical styles crossing both time and genre, its defining sounds are as relevant now as they ever has been. It defined hip hop and modern dance culture and it’s sound continues to deliver dancefloor smashing beats today.
Eden (2015)
EDEN is an affecting trip into the electronic dance movement in Paris whose rhythms echo its textures and feeling. Based on the experiences of Hansen-Løve’s brother (and co-writer) Sven, the film follows Paul (Félix de Givry), a teenager in the underground scene of early-nineties Paris. Rave parties dominate that culture, but he’s drawn to the more soulful rhythms of Chicago’s garage house. He forms a DJ collective named Cheers (as, in a parallel storyline, two of his friends form one called Daft Punk, who float throughout the movie).
Screening 3rd February – Tickets
Stop Making Sense (2015)
Known as one of the best concert films of all time, it’s no surprise that Stop Making Sense sold out in hours last year and had people dancing in the aisles. Literally, we’re not even exaggerating.Stop Making Sense sees director Jonathan Demme (pre Silence of the Lambs) shunning concert films clichés: the finger picking, the crowd shots, Bono singing into a candle. Instead, he creates a completely encompassing portrait of Talking Heads’ three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre – showing how a performance is crafted from small beginnings to massive final numbers. The film features stirring renditions of ‘Psycho Killer’, ‘Life During War Time’.
Screening 23rd January – Tickets
The Last Waltz (1978)
The Last Waltz has cemented itself in Rock and Roll history for many reasons, not least of all that Martin Scorsese had to airbrush cocaine from Neil Young’s nostril.Bob Dylan, Van Morrsion, Eric Clatpon, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters and many more rock legends come together on stage to farewell one of the great Canadian root-rock bands of all time: The Band. Shot by Martin Scorsese at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on November 25, 1976, The Last Waltz is a celebration of the highs and lows of life as a rock and roll icon. And, not surprisingly, remains to this day one of best concert-films ever made.
Screening 16th January – Tickets
Dope (2015)
Three high-school geeks – who spend their time playing punk music and riffing on 90s hip-hop – crash a local drug dealer’s birthday party to change things up. When their social excursion gets dicey, Malcolm (Shameik Moore), Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) make like a tree… Along with vast stacks of pills the drug dealer stashed in Malcolm’s backpack.What ensues is a funny, well-timed and brilliantly-acted story that takes the geek trio on wild adventures they’d never expected.
Screening 21st January – Tickets
Straight Outta Compton
20 years ago the streets of Compton were as dangerous as they got in the United States. And these dangerous streets brought up N.W.A. – the most notorious hip-hop crew the world’s ever seen.Named after the crew’s debut album, Straight Outta Compton follows the rise and fall of the N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes) – a crew comprised of West Coast hip-hop legends, Dr Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, DJ Tella, Arabian Prince and Ice Cube.
Screening 25th January – Tickets
SHADOW ELECTRIC – BACK FOR A FIFTH YEAR WITH AN EPIC SUMMER PROGRAM
68 film screenings, 16+ bandroom shows and 4 large outdoor music events between 2nd January and 10th April, 2016.
Tickets and gift vouchers (which make excellent stocking stuffers, apology gifts, or relationship sweeteners) on sale at shadowelectric.com.au.
