It’s official…SXSW is upon us! Today marks the beginning of 10 days of film, interactive, and music filled craziness. Oh boy!
While the (official) music portion of South by Southwest doesn’t start until Tuesday, this year’s film lineup includes a generous helping of “Music Flick” premieres.
Here’s a sampling…
Big Easy Express
Chronicling last year’s Railroad Revival Tour, Emmett Malloy’s Big Easy Express is, arguably, the most anticipated Music Flick of SXSW. Traveling by train, indie/folk/country bands Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, and Old Crow Medicine Show’s Railroad Revival Tour made six stops across the U.S. (including Austin) to play one-of-a-kind shows for lucky fans. What makes this film premiere so special is that Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show will join director Emmett Malloy and producers Tim Lynch, Mike Luba and Bryan Ling on Saturday, March 17th at the Paramount Theatre for a Q&A and acoustic set. Following the premiere, the crew will head to Austin High School for a Myspace sponsored encore screening and special show. Get details and RSVP for the show here.
Nothing Can Hurt Me
Another music documentary that will be accompanied by a music performance is Big Star’s Nothing Can Hurt Me. Simply billed as a “film about the band Big Star,” Nothing Can Hurt Me Now highlights the career of this critically acclaimed (but largely overlooked) band from Memphis, TN. After the screening on Thursday, March 15th at the Paramount Theatre, Big Star drummer Jody Stephens, along with Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M., Chris Stamey of the dBs, and other guest stars, will perform Big Star’s legendary album Third.
Marley
Reggae fans rejoice! The previously unheard and unseen story of Bob Marley, from Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald, makes its North American premiere at SXSW. Told by the people who knew Marley best, this documentary is the “definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom.” The film’s first showing is this Sunday, March 11th at 5:30PM at the Paramount Theatre with several additional showings throughout the week.
Charles Bradley: Soul of America
There’s no doubt that Charles Bradley has SOUL. He also has incredible perseverance. Leading a long and difficult life but never losing his love of music, Charles Bradley released his debut album, No Time For Dreaming, at age 62. The new documentary, Charles Bradley: Soul of America, shares Bradley’s tough journey and late in life rise to fame. Warning: This one might be a tearjerker. The film makes its world premiere tonight, Friday 3/9, at 9:00PM at the Alamo Ritz. Click here to see where else the film is being screened this week.
Shut Up and Play the Hits
Back in January, we featured LCD Soundsystem’s Shut Up and Play the Hits as our Music Flick of the week. Directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, Shut Up and Play the Hits relives the band’s farewell show and the 48 hours that surrounded it. What makes this film different is that it’s not just a look back at the band and the issues that led to the breakup….it chronicles it as it’s happening. It looks into the question posed by James Murphy, “when you start a band do you imagine how it will end?” While the movie officially premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, it’s coming to SXSW with several special screenings. Catch the first showing on Wednesday, March 14th at 2:00PM at the Vimeo Theatre. The film will also be shown on Thursday and Friday.
Re:Generation Music Project
In association with The Grammys, Re:Generation Music Project examines the changing musical landscape (and explores new possibilities) through the eyes of Mark Ronson, DJ Premier, The Crystal Method, Pretty Lights and Skrillex. Fusing genres that aren’t normally thought of as a pair (such as DJing and classical), these artists create new tracks that redefine the way we look at music. The documentary screens tonight, Friday 3/9, at 9:30PM at the Canon Screening Room and also runs several more times throughout the week.
Yellow Submarine
This year SXSW is taking a trip back to Pepperland, screening a newly restored version of The Beatles’ classic Yellow Submarine. The film has two showings on Saturday, March 17th at the Paramount Theatre.
http://youtu.be/xgmyRbUnfb8
Other Music Flicks screening at SXSW include Paul Simon’s Under African Skies, Bad Brains’ Band in DC, Ginger Baker’s Beware of Mr. Baker, Goh Nakamura’s Daylight Savings, Minor/Major: The TV on the Radio Tour Documentary, and Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen.
– Submitted by Jessica Reed, Social Media