Eureka, CA: Home to one of the most vibrant, varied, and self-contained music scenes in the country, yet very few people know about it. Despite its location six hours north of the nearest city (San Francisco), this evolving community of colorful musicians in rural Humboldt County continues to pump out creative music–for themselves and for each other, making due with the limited rock resources available in the sticks–while the rest of the music world operates oblivious to their existence.
With ‘Rural Rock and Roll (RR&R),’ Director Rufe offers an admiring ode to the main players in this small town’s beautiful underground rock scene and indirectly offers a scathing indictment on the inherent laziness of ‘urban’ A&R people: After spending an hour with the catchy hit-makers of ‘RR&R’ (groups such as construction-working mountain-metalheads THE HITCH, to soft gothgirls THE IAN FAYS, to ‘karaoke glampoppers for the sexually ambiguous,’ THE BUFFY SWAYZE), one can’t help but wonder how this talented town could go unnoticed within the same state as the music epicenter of the world.
Narrated by the scenesters themselves, ‘RR&R’ is a week-in-the-life of 13 unique groups and musicians. Through trips to their day jobs, rehearsals, house parties and downtown tavern shows, we gain a glimpse into the inner workings of a tight rock scene. Perhaps a few of these down-to-Earth folks have one eye on success outside of Eureka, but most seem content to work by day, then rock by night for their close friends–music made for all the right reasons. [60 minutes]
Part 1 of 6, Pt 2 of 6, Pt 3 of 6, Pt 4 of 6, Pt 5 of 6, Pt 6 of 6
Bloopers and outtakes: Part 1 of 2, Part 2 of 2
Featuring the music of:
Buffy Swayze
Candy Muscle
Dragged by Horses
Eureka Garbage Co.
J.P.G.
Lowlights
Que la Chinga
Trash & Roll
The Blue Dot
The Great Salvation
The Hitch
The Ian Fays
The Monster Women
The Ravens
The Smashed Glass
Screenings and Awards:
Official Selection: Mar Del Plata Film Festival, Argentina, November 2007
Official Selection: Tucson Film & Music Film Festival; afterparty at Rialto Theater featuring Lowlights, September 2007
Sacramento Premier: The Press Club; afterparty featuring The Ian Fays, August 2007
Official Selection: Big Rivers Film & Music Festival, The Netherlands, July 2007
Director’s Award: Frozen Film Festival, San Francisco, CA; afterparty at Hotel Utah featuring Lowlights, The Ian Fays, The Broken Hearts, July 2007
2nd Seattle Screening: Jewel Box Theater; afterparty featuring The Ravens, The Broken Hearts, Lowlights, June 2007
“TWIN PEAKS” Premier: North Bend Theater, Snoqualmie, WA; afterparty featuring The Ravens, The Broken Hearts, Lowlights, June 2007
Official Selection: The Portland Underground Film Festival; afterparty at Slabtown featuring The Ravens, The Broken Hearts, Lowlights, June 2007
Eugene Premier: Bijou Theater; afterparty featuring The Ravens, The Broken Hearts, Lowlights, June 2007
Official Selection: The Mendocino Film Festival; afterparty featuring The Ian Fays, The Ravens, The Blue Dot, May 2007
Astoria Premier: Columbian Theatre; afterparty featuring JPG, The Buffy Swayze, The Ian Fays, January 2007
Official Selection: Portland Reel Music Film Festival; afterparty at Towne Lounge featuring JPG, The Buffy Swayze, The Ian Fays, January 2007
Official Selection: NW Film Forum, Seattle, WA; afterparty at the Comet Tavern featuring JPG and The Buffy Swayze, January 2007
Official Selection: Bakersfield Film Festival, November 2006
Audience Award Best of Show: Nevada City Film Festival; afterparty featuring The Buffy Swayze and The Ravens, October 2006
San Francisco Premier: El Rio; afterparty featuring The Buffy Swayze, JPG and The Blue Dot, September 2006
2nd L.A. Screening: Echo Park Film Center; afterparty at TAIX featuring The Buffy Swayze, September 2006
Official Selection: The SoCal Film Festival, Huntington Beach, CA, September 2006
San Diego Premier: The Whistle Stop; afterparty featuring The Ian Fays, July 2006
Official Selection: The Atlanta Film Festival, June 2006
Director’s Award Documentary Feature: Silver Lake Film Festival, March 2006
Los Angeles Premier: Echo Park Film Center, January 2006
Humboldt Premier: Van Duzer Theater, Arcata, CA, January 2006