“Woodstoсk” (1970) – This doсumentary сaptures the essenсe of the iсoniс 1969 musiс festival, whiсh beсame a symbol of the 1960s сounterсulture movement. With performanсes by legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Who, the film goes beyond the musiс to showсase the spirit of peaсe, love, and unity. It teaсhes us about the power of musiс to bring people together, serving as a refleсtion of soсietal values and a сatalyst for сultural сhange.

“Gimme Shelter” (1970) – Сhroniсling The Rolling Stones’ 1969 U.S. tour, whiсh сulminated in the disastrous Altamont Free Сonсert, this doсumentary serves as a stark сontrast to Woodstoсk. It exposes the dark side of the era’s сounterсulture, highlighting the unprediсtability of live events and the thin line between сommunal сelebration and сhaos. The film is a сautionary tale about the loss of innoсenсe in the roсk and roll world, illustrating the сomplexities of artist-audienсe relationships.

“The Last Waltz” (1978) – Direсted by Martin Sсorsese, this film doсuments The Band’s final сonсert. It’s not just a сonсert film but a profound exploration of the interseсtion between musiс and life, featuring interviews with members and performanсes with musiс legends like Bob Dylan and Eriс Сlapton. The doсumentary teaсhes us about the bittersweet nature of endings and the timeless quality of musiс, сapturing a moment when an era’s defining sounds were giving way to something new.

“Stop Making Sense” (1984) – This Talking Heads сonсert film, direсted by Jonathan Demme, is renowned for its innovative approaсh to the сonсert experienсe. Starting with a solo performanсe by David Byrne, the stage gradually fills with band members, сreating a powerful, evolving musiсal narrative. The film is a lesson in artistiс evolution and the transformative power of performanсe, showing how musiс сan be an immersive, сommunal experienсe.

“Buena Vista Soсial Сlub” (1999) – Wim Wenders’ doсumentary re-introduсes the world to the forgotten musiс of pre-revolutionary Сuba, bringing aging Сuban musiсians, inсluding Сompay Segundo and Rubén González, baсk into the spotlight. It’s a testament to the enduring nature of talent and the universal language of musiс, demonstrating how art сan transсend сultural, politiсal, and generational boundaries.

“Dig!” (2004) – Сhroniсling the tumultuous relationship between two bands, The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massaсre, this doсumentary delves into the сomplexities of friendship, rivalry, and the struggle for artistiс integrity. It’s a raw portrayal of the сhallenges artists faсe in maintaining their vision amidst the pressures of suссess and the musiс industry’s pitfalls.

“20 Feet from Stardom” (2013) – This film shines a light on the unsung heroes of the musiс industry: the baсkup singers. It reveals the stories of inсredibly talented artists who have lived in the shadows of the stars they support. The doсumentary teaсhes us about the essential, yet often overlooked, сontributions of these artists, highlighting the power of сollaboration in сreating musiс that resonates with audienсes.

“Amy” (2015) – A heartbreaking examination of Amy Winehouse’s life, talent, and struggles with fame and addiсtion. The doсumentary presents a raw and unfiltered look at the pressures faсed by those in the publiс eye and the impaсt of media sсrutiny on personal wellbeing. It’s a poignant reminder of the human behind the persona, urging us to remember the person beyond the performer.

“What Happened, Miss Simone?” (2015) – This film offers an intimate look at the life of Nina Simone, a remarkable artist and сivil rights aсtivist. Through a сolleсtion of interviews, arсhival footage, and Simone’s own musiс, the doсumentary highlights her immense talent, her сommitment to soсial justiсe, and the personal demons she battled. It teaсhes us about the power of artists to refleсt and influenсe soсial сhange, and the personal сosts that often сome with suсh a publiс life.

“Eсho in the Сanyon” (2018) – Exploring the historiс musiс sсene of Laurel Сanyon, Los Angeles, during the mid-60s, this doсumentary сaptures the сreative synergy that influenсed a generation of legendary musiсians like The Byrds, The Beaсh Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and others. It’s a сelebration of the сollaborative spirit in musiс, illustrating how a partiсular time and plaсe сan generate a transformative artistiс movement.

Musiс doсumentaries offer more than just entertainment; they are eduсational journeys that provide insight into the musiс industry, the сreative proсess, and the soсietal impaсt of musiс. They tell the stories of artists, genres, and movements, offering viewers a сhanсe to learn from the сhallenges and triumphs of musiсal legends. Through these films, we gain a deeper appreсiation of the artistry and the often сomplex reality of the musiс world, reminding us of the profound power musiс holds to inspire, сhallenge, and сonneсt us all.

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New York City’s Eclectic Underground

In the heart of New York City lies an eclectic underground music scene as diverse and dynamic as the city itself. From the gritty punk rock clubs in the East Village to the avant-garde experimental music spaces in Brooklyn, New York’s underground scene is a testament to the city’s cultural and artistic diversity. These hidden venues, often nestled in basements or tucked behind unassuming facades, serve as hallowed grounds for musical innovation and creative expression. They are places where emerging artists find their voice and established acts return to their roots, creating an ever-evolving tapestry of sound that mirrors the city’s ever-changing cultural landscape. In these intimate spaces, audiences are not just spectators but become part of a shared musical experience, a communal journey through the city’s diverse musical soul.

Berlin’s Electric Nightlife

Berlin, a city celebrated for its rich history and avant-garde art, is also home to an electrifying underground music scene, particularly renowned for its influence on electronic and techno music. The city’s clubs and warehouses, often hidden in plain sight, are much more than nocturnal havens; they are the epicenters of cultural and musical expression. In these spaces, time loses its hold as DJs and artists push the boundaries of electronic music, creating immersive auditory experiences that are as intense as they are exhilarating. Berlin’s underground scene is a world unto itself, a realm where freedom of expression and a passion for music transcend conventional norms. The city’s unique history has shaped a music scene that is not only a part of nightlife but also a significant aspect of its cultural identity, making it a must-visit destination for those seeking to experience the cutting edge of the underground music world.

Tokyo’s Subculture Soundscapes

Tokyo, a city renowned for its blend of traditional heritage and futuristic vision, harbors a fascinating underground music scene, reflective of its unique subcultures. Venturing into the backstreets of Shibuya or the eclectic neighborhood of Shimokitazawa, one discovers intimate venues and clubs pulsating with the energy of Tokyo’s diverse music scene. These spaces, often small and inconspicuous, are the heartbeats of various musical sub-genres, from the intense rhythms of J-Pop and electronic music to the experimental and avant-garde. Tokyo’s underground music venues are more than just places for entertainment; they are cultural sanctuaries where artists and audiences come together, sharing a passion for music that transcends language barriers. The city’s underground scene offers an intriguing glimpse into the creativity and innovation that fuels Tokyo’s artists, showcasing a side of the city that often remains hidden from the casual observer.

London’s Grassroots Music Movements

London, a city with a storied musical history, boasts an underground music scene as diverse and vibrant as its population. The city’s underground venues, scattered across neighborhoods like Camden, Shoreditch, and Brixton, pulse with the energy of grassroots movements. These spaces are the birthplaces of new sounds and the sanctuaries of established genres, from grime and punk to indie and folk. London’s underground music scene is a melting pot of influences, reflecting the city’s multicultural fabric and its history of musical innovation. These venues, often small and intimate, offer an up-close and personal experience with artists, making them the heart of the city’s music culture. The scene here is not just about the music; it’s a reflection of London’s spirit, a testament to the city’s resilience and its capacity for constant reinvention.

Conclusion: Embracing the Underground Rhythms

The exploration of underground music scenes in major cities around the world is more than a journey through hidden venues and undiscovered artists. It’s an adventure into the heart of each city’s cultural identity, where music serves as a unifying force and a medium for expression beyond words. These underground scenes are not just about the sound; they’re about the stories, the communities, and the shared experiences that music can foster. Whether you’re a lifelong music enthusiast or a curious traveler, delving into these scenes offers a deeper, more authentic understanding of the cities themselves. They reveal the heartbeat of communities thriving in the shadows of mainstream recognition, where the true rhythm of the city lies. This musical odyssey is an open invitation to embrace the diverse and vibrant underground rhythms that define the world’s major urban landscapes.

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Director Todd Haynes has made a film about the legendary band The Velvet Underground.

While following the documentary truth, the film also conveys a touch of the magic and radicalism of The Velvet Underground

“The Velvet Underground” is the first documentary by the renowned Todd Haynes (“Far From Heaven,” “Carol,” “Dark Waters”), but is seen as a continuation of the quest begun in his two feature films about musicians, “The Velvet Goldmine” (1998) and “I’m Not There” (2007). “Velvet Goldmine” was about the glam-rock era, with only strokes of David Bowie and Iggy Pop in the central characters. “I’m Not There” was technically a biopic of Bob Dylan, but the latter was played by six actors, including Cate Blanchett and a young dark-skinned Marcus Carl Franklin, and instead of a solid plot there were six stories, both real and taken from songs. “I’m Not There” is remembered as an example of a “good biopic” every time something needs to be contrasted with “Doors” or “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A true biopic is impossible, but stories about artists of the past must be told, or they will be forgotten (and back catalogs will stop selling).

In the new film The Velvet Underground, Todd Haynes is very careful to follow the historical truth, telling the story of the two founding members of The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed and John Cale.

The first was a staunch rock ‘n’ roller who, as a young man, was forced by his parents to undergo electroshock therapy to rid him of his bisexual tendencies. Before he became one of rock’s biggest innovators, he still managed to sing in the sweet doo-wop band The Jades and work on songs for the pop label Pickwick Records. In other words, before collapsing into the abyss of Andy Warhol’s Factory experiments, Lou Reed mastered the basics of the pop craft and understood what the public loves and what you need to build off of when making new music.

Welsh violist John Cale, by contrast, was an absolute elitist. Having gained an understanding of classical music at the University of London and of contemporary music at La Monte Young’s Dream Syndicate, he regarded music-making exclusively as high art. He might have been interested in the Chinese idea of “music that has sounded for centuries” or in some performance with an axe smashing a piano, but not in frivolous rock ‘n’ roll.

Andy Warhol was not only the producer of the new band, he was actually the first to realize that the packaging in pop music meant as much as the songs themselves.

Hence the endless photo sessions at the Factory, hence the legendary banana on the cover of The Velvet Underground’s debut album, hence even the invitation of the German actress Christa Peffgen, who had become famous for her appearance in Federico Fellini’s Sweet Life and sang on stage under the pseudonym Niko. Warhol was fascinated by her and understood that such a “white iceberg” would look great on stage against the backdrop of black-skinned rockers. But Nico herself felt she was underappreciated as a singer, and this is one of the conflicting points in the band’s history.

Todd Haynes recounts well-known events using a poly-screen that primarily evokes the 1970 film Woodstock. For example, in one part of the screen, shots of the New York streets of the 1960s are running, while from the other, one of the band’s musicians looks at the viewer, almost unblinking. These Warhol video portraits are looped by Todd Haynes in “giffy” mode, and the very nervous rhythm of what’s happening on the screen makes a special connection to the songs of The Velvet Underground. The band’s classic compositions are often built on repetitive elements and a monotonous rhythm, creating a hypnotic sense of stupor and danger.

When the narrative focuses on the hero in one part of the screen or on another “factory” heppening, the character of the next chapter already appears in the other.

Such a presentation is not always comfortable for the viewer, but the metaphor is transparent: Nico, The Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol were able to see signs of the future in the present. It’s not for nothing that they’ve been called the harbingers of punk rock, the progenitors of drone and the forerunners of noise.

The most valuable thing in the film is the testimonies of the participants of the events. Many of the interviews are from the archives, but living ex-participants of The Velvet Underground John Cale and Maureen Tucker were interviewed especially for the film. Also in the frame is a huge number of their associates, including the still-living La Monte Young and the charming, despite their age, Mary Ravens. Long-gone storytellers interrupt the living, and this conversational polyphony rhymes with the noise of the New York streets.

Todd Haynes simultaneously narrates the birth of a new musical language and himself searches for a new language for documentaries and for stories about celebrities.

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October 28 marks the 40th anniversary of one of the planet’s top “heavy” bands, Metallica.

Thirty years ago, in August 1991, the legendary Metallica album (or, as fans used to call it, “The Black Album”) appeared, transforming Metallica from a niche band into global stadium stars. This September, the re-released “Black Album” and concurrently “The Metallica Blacklist,” a tribute that included 53 covers of songs from the anniversary album, also went on sale.

Metallica could have timed its first tribute album to coincide with its 40th anniversary and let colleagues rework any songs from its catalog. But obviously, it’s the Metallica album that concentrates the band’s most recognizable songs.

It is unlikely that Miley Cyrus, Jay Ballwin, Dave Gun, Phoebe Bridgers or pianist Igor Levit would be interested in the idea of reworking the best songs from the band’s first four albums. Nevertheless, it was the golden stock of the 1980s that gave Metallica’s musicians their pioneering status. It was hits from “Kill ‘Em All” (1983), “Ride the Lightning” (1984), “Master of Puppets” (1986) and “…And Justice for All” (1988) that formed the fan army that the band had to reckon with when conceiving of a radio-format slowpitch album. At the Monsters of Rock festival in Tushino, which also celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, hundreds of thousands of Soviet rock fans gathered under the banners of Metallica. Not AC/DC and especially not Pantera and The Black Crowes were the main protagonists of this demonstration. The favorite songs of Metallica didn’t earned them the love of the local crowd – the band played only two of them in the first half of the program. Metallica classics – “Fade to Black”, “Master of Puppets”, “Seek and Destroy”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and incredible epic “One” were expected in Moscow. And they were all played at Tushino.

Metallica were innovators long before “Black Album” came out. On “Kill ‘Em All” the band formulated the basics of thrash metal style, combining virtuosic riffs of the “new wave of British heavy metal” (Saxon, Iron Maiden, Diamond Head) with the high-speed (up to 200 beats per minute) sounding of American hardcore and the fury of punk bands Ramones and The Misfits.

The key figure of the band was the drummer, Danish-born musician Lars Ulrich, who is rightly considered one of the inventors of thrash metal. He introduced the trend of playing on two bass drums, which in its most textbook form can be heard on “One”. Thanks to Lars Ulrich’s intricate rhythmic patterns, Metallica was already being listened to not only by metal “thrash” fans, but also by conservative smart guys from the cutting edge of musical experimentation in the 1980s.

His partner and co-writer James Hatfield first introduced social and philosophical themes into the lyrics of the speed metal band. The album’s title song “Ride the Lightning” was sung on behalf of an unjustly sentenced to death, and became Metallica’s first ever lyrics about the imperfection of the American judicial system. The title song, “Master of Puppets,” dealt with the topic of cocaine addiction, a topic that was rarely raised in the mainstream in the 1980s. “One” was written by Hatfield, inspired by Dalton Trumbo’s novel “Johnny Got the Gun,” which tells the story of a World War I soldier who lost his limbs and senses but retained his ability to think.

Metallica used the nightmare aesthetic so popular in heavy music, but combined literary plots with stories of real human suffering in the songs.

The band complicated the compositional structure of their works by using classical musical themes and constant experimentation with rhythm. All this provoked the raptures of devoted listeners and critics, but it did not help to get closer to the radio and mass audiences. The Metallica album was the first to reach the top of the charts all over the world. The low, even tempo songs “The Unforgiven” and “Nothing Else Matters” brought Metallica to commercial FM radio and to the hot rotation of music TV channels. At the same time, the band managed not to lose a core audience that loved it for a different reason.

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Garrett Price’s film “Music Box. Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Fury,” dedicated to the Woodstock 99 music festival. Boris Barabanov looked at how accents in the still very recent history of rock are being placed in accordance with current ideological trends.

The festival, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, took place in 1999 near Rome, New York. The organizer of this festival, like the first Woodstock in 1969 and the second held in 1994, was producer Michael Lang. The third Woodstock was done on the grounds of a former air base. The ready-made military infrastructure allowed to make the festival as comfortable as possible. However, the unprecedented heat, water supply problems, high prices in the food court and a host of other little things increased the dissatisfaction of the audience, and eventually the tension turned into aggression. Audience members took musicians’ calls to “blow off steam” literally: Limp Bizkit’s performance was accompanied by numerous episodes of violence, and during the performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, fires blazing in the remote parts of the venue turned into real fires.

While open-air music events in the UK and Europe have long been a clockwork industry, in the U.S. they were just learning to make them, and even with an air base with all the communications, it was possible not to calculate the influx of people and not provide for all their needs.

In 1999, there was a scandal with the impeachment of President Clinton. Moreover, in April of that year, America was rocked by the Columbine school massacre. In discussions of this tragedy, it was often mentioned that the killers were inspired by the music of Marilyn Manson, one of the most popular alternative rock musicians. America hated him and, through him, all new music. People weren’t just going to Rome with backpacks – they were going with a load of social problems and expected Woodstock ’99 to free them from their accumulated tension.

“There seemed to be a dark energy emanating from young white guys in pop culture that the entertainment industry was supporting and exacerbating,” says journalist Stephen Hayden in the film, and it completely changes the tone of the conversation. “The young white guys in the film are not victims of political upheaval. They are a source of “dark energy.” And that energy is expressed in nu-metal, the aggressive music for teenagers that makes the crowd tear down fences, smash food tents and burn everything in sight.

Fans of Korn and Limp Bizkit don’t care about the ideals of the first Woodstock, and when Wyclef Jean plays the American anthem on guitar, few in the audience relate it to Jimi Hendrix’s historic performance at the 1969 festival. Nu-metal has displaced even Nirvana and Pearl Jam from the generation’s top likes. The music of the Woodstock 99 headliners is, as the film suggests, “savage music.” It also includes Kid Rock, the white rapper strutting around the stage in an expensive white coat while the audience goes crazy from the 38-degree heat.

I can’t recall another film in which an entire musical style is actually accused of “incitement” in the most heinous way possible. It is very much like the style of Soviet propaganda that stigmatized “dung beetles”.

More screen time is devoted only to the sexual aggression of the “white guys” directed at the women who came to the festival. “Show me your boobs!” – according to the film, that was one of the slogans of the festival. There are indeed plenty of topless female viewers on screen, but from the point of view of the authors, the women closer to the finale were literally victims. And John Sher, who claims that if you walk around a field full of 20-year-old guys naked for three days, there’s a risk of getting in trouble, looks like a nasty sexist objectifying women.

It’s worth noting that Michael Lang had planned a festival to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Woodstock in 2019, but didn’t pull it off organizationally or economically. That said, the Coachella festival, which also appears in Price’s film, is doing remarkably well – as a positive image of an event with the right percentage of black artists, an event full of awareness, tolerance and empathy. Sometimes it even seems that “Woodstock 99” was filmed on purpose to erase the tale of the good and peaceful “Woodstock” from the minds of a generation. I guess it really wasn’t. But it was a beautiful fairy tale.

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