Let There Be Rock: Music on Film

Capturing the rebellious spirit of rock music culture through documentary and film, Let There Be Rock runs at the Gallery of Modern Art's Australian Cinematheque from April 29 to June 5, 2011. According to Queensland Art Gallery Director, Tony Ellwood, the curated season of rock on film consists of more than 45 documentaries, concert movies and feature films. "From Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock (1957) and The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night (1964) to Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White in It Might Get Loud (2009) and Animal Collective's visual album ODDSAC (2009), Let There Be Rock surveys over 50 years of music on the big screen."

The film program 8 intimate portraits of bands and musicians throughout history, as well as the fans, collaborators and locations that solidified their musical prowess and charismatic stage presence as the stuff of rock legend. The product of the marriage between rock music and cinema is a unique film genre, brought to life in this program through experimental rock operas and musicals. In a surreal take on realism, screenings of concert films and live recordings capture bands in full flight, transporting audiences to the time and the place, while iconic music events captured on film chronicle rare snapshots of music history through the medium of documentary. Woodstock and Gimme Shelter ? a depiction of the Rolling Stones' Altamont Free Concert ? hone in on some of the seminal moments in rock mythology, while Patti Smith: Dream of Life chronicles the artist's multiple creative incarnations and Radical Act documents the feminist punk movement in the United States.

Modern rock music of all persuasions will also get a look-in with films on the music of The White Stripes, Animal Collective and Sigur Ros, while Australian artists will be represented by films on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dirty Three and Brisbane's own SixFtHick.In addition, Friday night screenings will also be complemented by the special live performances of local musicians. Ben Salter (The Gin Club), Matt Somers (I Heart Hiroshima), Seja Vogel, Tim Steward and Kate Jacobsen (Texas Tea) will provide their own unique takes on Joy Division, The Rolling Stones, Arcade Fire, The White Stripes and The Doors.In an extra special final event on June 3, Quan Yeomans (Regurgitator) will take on the music of Prince prior to the screening of Purple Rain. Tickets are now available from www.qtix.com.au or at the box office prior to screenings.

qag.qld.gov.au

Rosie Dalton