[Music Docs] IFFBoston is back!
Posted on April 27, 2022 at 11:32 am | Comments Off on [Music Docs] IFFBoston is back!
Tonight, it returns.
Among the many, many things that were canceled in the wake of the covid’s arrival on U.S. shores in the Spring of 2020, one of the most personally painful was the almost-here 18th edition of the Independent Film Festival Boston. I’ve seen at least a couple films, and usually more, every single April since this incredible fest kicked off in 2003, including many that became fast favorites (and critical darlings), and I have countless memories of special post-screening appearances by various filmmakers & actors throughout the years…
It wasn’t the loss of a chance to see their meticulously-selected lineup that truly hurt, though – it was knowing how much year-round work goes into the fest by their all-volunteer crew. Countless hours of venue coordination, staff communication, local promotion, plus all the pre-fest selection screenings, sponsor-wooing, and guest-wrangling. All just for the pure love of it. I’m such a fan of their core staff, and could only imaging how crushing it must have been to make that cancellation call two years ago.
After going all-online for last year’s fest, I’m so very psyched that they’re finally returning to our beloved Boston-area indie cinemas starting this evening, Wednesday, April 27th, with the opening night premiere of “Emily the Criminal” at the Somerville Theatre.
Back when the Almanac was a more active concern (and not just sporadic f*cebook posts & ever-present relaunch plans), I’d do a yearly IFFB preview, usually music-doc-centric. In honor of the fest’s return, I thought I’d shine a brief but bright light on the four music-focused screenings this year, covering a ridiculously diverse list of artists: Courtney Barnett, James Cotton, Ronnie James Dio, & Mojo Nixon…
Anonymous Club
an intimate hang with Courtney Barnett
Screening on Saturday, April 30th at 4pm
at the Brattle Theater, Cambridge, MA / Tickets
From the SXSW film guide (where it made its premiere last month):
“With unprecedented, intimate access to the private life of Courtney Barnett, this innovative and stylised 16mm feature documentary follows a paradoxically introverted performer and anti-influencer, who, at the height of success, is ready to walk away. Long-time collaborator Danny Cohen¡¯s feature documentary reveals a woman who finds power in sharing her vulnerability. Recording her innermost thoughts on a Dictaphone over a period of three years, Courtney begins her slow acceptance of Danny Cohen¡¯s camera. This unique filming process mirrors Courtney¡¯s gradual search for purpose and emergence as an artist embracing her place in the world.”
Bonnie Blue:
James Cotton’s Life In The Blues
WORLD PREMIERE
Screening on Monday, May 2nd at 7:30pm
at the Somerville Theatre / Tickets
Director Bestor Cram and Executive Producers James Montgomery & Judith Laster are expected to be in attendance at the screening
From the IFFBoston website:
“Born in 1935 on Bonnie Blue plantation in Tunica, Mississippi, apprenticing with Sonny Boy Williamson II and Howlin¡® Wolf, and schooled by Muddy Waters, James “Super Harp” Cotton became a mentor to harp players around the globe as he brought the delta blues into mainstream rock ¡¯n¡® roll. Orphaned at nine, Cotton¡®s journey tracks America¡®s history and his story is one of empowerment during a time when the weight of racial inequity made the journey seem impossible. BONNIE BLUE: JAMES COTTON¡®S LIFE IN THE BLUES is a unique portrait of an era and its impact today. Cotton¡®s music made history; his musical voice was unique, and the blues were never the same.
After the world premiere of BONNIE BLUE: JAMES COTTON’S LIFE IN THE BLUES, stick around for great music featuring members of the James Montgomery Band, including Grammy-nominated singer and harpist James Montgomery, Guitarist George McCann, Bass player David Hull (Joe Perry Project), and drummer Marty Richards with special guests blues and funk master Willie J. Laws and one of the world’s best blues duos Annie Raines and Paul Rishell.”
Dio: Dreamers Never Die
Screening on Friday, April 29th at 9:15pm
at the Somerville Theatre / Tickets
Director Don Argott expected to be in attendance at the screening
From the IFFBoston website:
“This career-spanning documentary on heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio delves deep into his incredible rise from 50¡¯s doo-wop crooner, to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore¡¯s Rainbow, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osborne in Black Sabbath, to finally cement his legend with DIO. Ronnie¡¯s biography is completely unique to the tired sex, drugs, and rock and roll cliches. The film is about perseverance, dreams, and the power to believe in yourself.”
The Mojo Manifesto:
The Life & Times Of Mojo Nixon
Screening on Thursday, April 28th at 9:30pm
at the Somerville Theatre / Tickets
Director Matt Eskey and “co-star and manager-for-life” Bullethead are expected to be at the screening
From the IFFBoston website:
“Neill Kirby McMillan Jr. comes of age in Danville, VA, listening to records from his father’s soul radio station and plotting his escape from the confines of conservative small town life. On a bicycle trip across the country, Kirby experiences The Mojo Revelation and becomes Mojo Nixon, a primitive blues-inspired musician. Mojo then teams up with the enigmatic Skid Roper to form an outrageous duo. Relentless touring, a record deal, college radio airplay, and MTV exposure lead to unexpected mainstream success. The song ¡°Elvis Is Everywhere¡± is a cult phenomenon, but his next single is banned by MTV and Mojo makes a decision that could jeopardize his career.”
For some non-music recommendations, check out these previews elsewhere: Film critic Ty Burr’s “IFFBoston 2022: Ten Films to See” piece over on his Substack, the fest’s own write-up of “Women Directed Films at IFFBoston 2022“, a documentary run-down over at the Globe, and a list of “Seven must-see films at this year’s festival” over at Vanyaland.
Welcome back, IFFBoston. See you in the seats.
Comments
Wednesday, October 1st
Tropical F*ck Storm
Mark Robinson
@ Crystal Ballroom
Wednesday, October 1st
Bad Suns
Yot Club
@ the Royale
Thursday, October 2nd
Amy Millan (Stars/BSS)
@ the Middle East
Thursday, October 2nd
DEVO
The B-52s
Lene Lovich Band
@ the Xfinity Center
Thursday, October 2nd
Elbow
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
October 2nd, 3rd, & 4th
David Byrne
@ the Wang
Friday, October 3rd
Home Is Where
Forests
@ the Sinclair
Friday, October 3rd
Weekly Free Residency with
Hilken Mancini & Melissa Gibbs
& guests, this week featuring...
Mike Gent
@ Notch Brewing Brighton
Friday & Saturday
October 3rd & 4th
Bobcat Goldthwait
@ the Comedy Studio
Saturday & Sunday
October 4th & 5th
An Inconceivable Evening
with Cary Elwes
& a screening of
The Princess Bride
@ the Wilbur
Monday, October 6th
Swans
Little Annie
Paul Wallfisch
@ the Paradise
Monday, October 6th
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
"An Evening Of Tales,
Tunes And Other Mysteries"
Book Tour show
@ the Wang Theatre
Friday, November 7th
Minibeast
@ Deep Cuts
Wednesday, October 8th
Anamanaguchi
Ovlov
@ the Royale
Wednesday, October 8th
Queens of the Stone Age
(acoustic show)
@ the Wang
Wednesday, October 8th
High-Vis
Crush Your Soul
Cold Gawd
@ the Paradise
Wednesday, October 8th
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
'Howl' 20th Anniversary Tour
with Humanist
@ House of Blues
Wednesday, October 8th
Water From Your Eyes
Her New Knife
Editrix
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, October 8th
The Murder Capital
@ Sonia
Thursday, October 9th
Team Dresch
Vitapup
@ Crystal Ballroom
Thursday, October 9th
Jason Narducy
(Split Single, Superchunk,
Verboten, Bob Mould Band)
@ Q Division
Thursday, October 9th
The Rapture
@ House of Blues
Thursday, October 9th
Violent Femmes
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Friday, October 10th
Weekly Free Residency with
Hilken Mancini & Melissa Gibbs
& guests, this week featuring...
David Fredette
@ Notch Brewing Brighton
Friday, October 10th
AFI
TR/ST @ the House of Blues
Friday, October 10th
Jukebox the Ghost
Boys Go To Jupiter
@ the Royale
Friday, October 10th
Wesley Stace's
CABINET OF WONDERS
with Willie Loco Alexander,
Michael Arthur, Tanya Donelly,
Matthew Caws (Nada Surf),
Dave Hill, James Parker,
Patrick Stickles (Titus Andronicus),
& Ryan Walsh (Hallelujah the Hills)
@ City Winery
Friday, October 10th
Destroyer
@ the Paradise
Saturday, October 11th
The Cult
"Death Cult In America" Tour
with Patriarchy
@ the Orpheum
Saturday, October 11th
Real Estate
"Atlas" Anniversary Tour
Trace Mountains
@ the Royale
Saturday, October 11th
Pile
Nnamd?
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, October 11th
Kneecap
@ the House of Blues
Sunday, October 12th
Pete & Bas
@ the Crystal Ballroom
Sunday, October 12th
The Miki Berenyi Trio
(that's Miki from Lush)
Gina Birch
The Unreasonables
@ the Sinclair
Monday, October 13th
The Sword
@ the Paradise
Monday, October 13th
My Morning Jacket
@ MGM Music Hall
Tuesday, October 14th
Rachael Yamagata
Anya Marina
@ the Somerville Armory
Tuesday, October 14th
Grandaddy
celebrating the 25th anniversary
of "The Sophtware Slump"
with Greg Freeman
@ the Royale
Wednesday, October 15th
Modest Mouse
Built to Spill
@ MGM Music Hall
Wednesday, October 15th
Disclosure (Live)
Fcukers
Villager
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, October 16th
Moving Targets
One Fall
Spiller
@ Faces Brewing
Friday, October 17th
Bad History Month
@ Panopticon
Friday, October 17th
Peel Dream Magazine
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, October 17th
The Psychedelic Furs
Gary Numan
@ MGM Musis Hall
Friday, October 17th
Sheila E. & the E-Train
@ City Winery Boston
Saturday, October 18th
Kingsley Flood
@ the Burren Backroom
Saturday, October 18th
Patty Griffin &
Rickie Lee Jones
@ the Chevalier
Saturday, October 18th
AL BARILE DAY!
(bands announced soon)
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, October 18th
Jeff Tweedy
Macie Stewart
@ the Royale
Sunday, October 19th
Juanita & Juan
(Alice Bag & Kid Congo Powers)
Kathy Snax Band
@ Deep Cuts
Sunday, October 19th
The Chelsea Curve
Speedfossil
Cold Expectations
Happy Little Clouds
Corin Ashley
Eric Barlow
@ the Burren Backroom
Sunday, October 19th
Guerilla Toss
@ Crystal Ballroom
Sunday, October 19th
Ruston Kelly
Sam MacPherson
@ the Sinclair
Monday, October 20th
Leisure
@ the Royale
Monday, October 20th
Madi Diaz
@ the Somerville Armory
Tuesday, October 21st
Big Thief
@ MGM Music Hall
Tuesday, October 21st
Everclear
Local H
Sponge
@ Big Night Live
Wednesday, October 22nd
Mike Viola
@ the Lizard Lounge
Thursday, October 23rd
Brian Dunne
Dead Gowns
@ the Rockwell
Thursday, October 23rd
Neko Case
Des Demonas
@ The Wilbur
Thursday, October 23rd
Shudder to Think
Zwei Null Zwei
@ Sonia
Thursday, October 23rd
Belly
"King" 30th Anniversary Tour!
@ the Paradise
Thursday & Friday
October 23rd & 24th
Ali McGuirk
"Watertop" Release Shows
@ the Lizard Lounge
Friday, October 24th
Insomnies
Chris Brokaw
The Golden Dregs
Lights Out
@ Myrtle, Providence
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
October 24th, 25th, & 26th
Jonathan Richman
with Tommy Larkins
@ the Somerville Theatre
Saturday, October 25th
Cheap Trick
@ Lynn Auditorium
Saturday, October 25th
Halloween show with...
Yoni Gordon (as Prince),
the Grownup Noise, Indiana Stone,
& The Naya Rockers (as REM),
Ruby Grove (as Led Zeppelin),
& Happy Little Clouds, Endation,
The Daylilies, Linnea¡¯s Garden, &
Adi Sun (as Queens of the Stone Age)
@ the Loft, Somerville
Saturday, October 25th
Amy Rigby
House show in Dorchester
@ the Acoustic Den
Saturday, October 25th
Rufus Wainwright
@ City Winery
Saturday, October 25th
Ezra Furman
The Golden Dregs
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, October 25th
Minus The Bear
@ the House of Blues
Sunday, October 26th
Bryan Adam
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
@ the Garden
Saturday, October 26th
Big D & the Kids Table:
A Nightmare Before Halloween
with Westbound Train,
& the JB Conspiracy
@ the Sinclair
Monday, October 27th
Laufey
Suki Waterhouse
@ TD Garden
Monday, October 27th
Autechre
Mark Broom
@ Brighton Music Hall
Wednesday, October 29th
Herbie Hancock
@ the Wang Theatre
Tuesday, October 28th
WHICH SIDE?
A Protest Music Teach-Out
A Music Series with Discussion
Hosted by James Sullivan
featuring the Paid Protesters
& a revolving cast of singers
This one features: Rick Berlin,
Will Dailey, Thea Hopkins,
Cliff Notez, Aaron Perrino,
and Chad Stokes
@ the Burren Back Room
Wednesday, October 29th
EARFULL series
"Writers reading, songwriters playing"
with authors
Tom Perrotta & Alice Hoffman
and musicians
Highway Hosiery & Adam Sherman
@ Regattabar, Cambridge
Wednesday, October 29th
Of Monsters and Men
Arny Margret
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, October 29th
The Beta Band
@ the Royale
Thursday, October 30th
Cage the Elephant
Hey, Nothing
Common People
@ MGM Music Hall
Thursday, October 30th
Thundercat
@ Roadrunner
Friday & Saturday
October 31st & November 1st
Fleshwater
Chat Pile
@ the Paradise
Saturday, November 1st
Andy Bell (of Erasure)
@ the Wilbur
Sunday, November 2nd
Fruit Bats (solo)
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday, November 4th
Dinosaur Live!
Improvised Entertainment with
Edi Patterson, Paul Scheer,
Rob Huebel, Jason Mantzoukas,
Owen Burke, Danielle Schneider,
and Mary Holland
@ the Chevalier, Medford
Wednesday, November 5th
Boris
"Pink" 20th Anniversary Tour
with Uniform
@ the Paradise
Thursday, November 6th
Matt Pond PA
@ the Fallout Shelter, Norwood
Thursday, November 6th
Colin Hay (Men at Work)
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Thursday, November 6th
Robert Plant's Saving Grace
featuring Suzi Dian
@ the Shubert Theatre
Thursday & Friday
November 6th & 7th
The Lone Bellow
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday
November 6th, 7th, & 8th
Buffalo Tom's 2nd annual
"Please Come to Boston" fest
with special live performances
& guests each night
@ the Somerville Armory
Friday & Saturday
November 7th & 8th
Steve Martin & Martin Short
three shows @ the Wang
Saturday, November 8th
Cracker
with special guests
@ Abbot Hall, Marblehead
Saturday, November 8th
The Mars Volta
@ House of Blues
Sunday, November 9th
Flock of Dimes
@ the Rockwell
Sunday, November 9th
The Samples
@ City Winery
Tuesday, November 11th
Jason Bonham's
Led Zeppelin Evening
@ the House of Blues Boston
Tuesday & Wednesday
November 11th & 12th
Micky Dolenz (the Monkees)
Songs & Stories
@ City Winery
Wednesday, November 12th
Jens Lekman
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, November 13th
Janeane Garofalo
two shows
@ the Somerville Armory
Thursday, November 13th
Major Stars
Mountain Movers
Gossip Collar
@ Deep Cuts
Thursday, November 13th
Celebration of Hip-Hop with
Hall of Fame Induction of Rakim
@ Berklee Performance Center
Friday, November 14th
The Smithereens
with John Cowsill
@ City Winery
Friday, November 14th
John Fogerty
doing CCR songs
@ MGM Music Hall
Friday, November 14th
Geese
@ the Paradise
Friday, November 14th
Spiller
The Long Wait
@ the Middle East
Saturday, November 15th
Hallelujah The Hills
(20th anniversary show!)
with the return of the mighty...
Ho-Ag! @ Deep Cuts
Saturday, November 15th
Beach Fossils
@ the Paradise
Sunday, November 16th
The Faint
Hercules & Love Affair
@ the Royale
Sunday, November 16th
Die Spitz
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, November 16th
Black Flag
(Ginn & the kids)
@ Taffeta in Lowell
Monday, November 17th
Tom Morello & Friends
(electric full band show)
@ the Paradise
Tuesday & Wednesday
November 18th & 19th
The Barr Brothers
Land of Talk
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, November 19th
EARFULL series
"Writers reading, songwriters playing"
@ Regattabar, Cambridge
Wednesday, November 19th
Author Joe Hill
presenting 'King Sorrow'
@ Brookline Booksmith
Thursday, November 20th
Weakened Friends
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, November 20th
Sarah McLachlan
@ the Orpheum
Thursday, November 20th
SOM
Hiroe
Girih
Bedroom Eyes
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, November 21st
Queensr?che
Accept
@ Somerville Theatre
Friday & Saturday
November 21st & 22nd
Letters to Cleo
The Cavedogs
@ the Paradise Rock Club
Saturday, November 22nd
Couch
@ Roadrunner
Sunday, November 23rd
Story of the Year
Senses Fail
Armor for Sleep
@ Roadrunner
Monday, November 24th
Stevie Nicks
@ TD Garden
Monday, November 24th
Bar Italia
Lifeguard
@ the Paradise
Monday, November 24th
Patti Smith
Horses 50th Anniversary Tour
@ the Orpheum
Tuesday & Wednesday
November 25th & 26th
The English Beat
@ City Winery
Wednesday, November 26th
The Lemonheads
@ The Wilbur
Saturday, November 29th
Portugal. The Man
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, November 29th
Vundabar
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, November 30th
Caspian
Aisha Burns
@ Sonia
Monday, December 1st
(second show added)
The Beths
Phoebe Rings
@ the Royale
Friday, December 5th
The Besnard Lakes
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, December 5th
STL GLD
House Party
with Bad Rabbits
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, December 6th
The Aimee Mann & Ted Leo
Christmas Show featuring
Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay,
& Josh Gondelman
@ the Chevalier Theatre
December 6th
Sorry
@ the Middle East Up
Tuesday, December 9th
They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
Hooky
@ the Somerville Armory
Wednesday, December 10th
EARFULL series
"Writers reading, songwriters playing"
@ Regattabar, Cambridge
Thursday, December 11th
The Ladybug Transistor
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, December 13th
Paula Poundstone
@ the Mosesian Center, Watertown
Saturday, December 13th
Will Dailey
@ the Paradise
Saturday, December 13th
Converge's SADDEST DAY Fest
with Touch¨¦ Amor¨¦, Coalesce,
The Hope Conspiracy, Soul Glo,
Year of the Knife, Stress Positions,
Wormwood, and more
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, December 13th
A John Waters Christmas
@ Berklee Performance Center
Saturday, December 13th
J. Robbins Band plays
Burning Airlines
@ Deep Cuts
Sunday, December 14th
Cursive
AJJ
@ Brighton Music Hall
Monday, December 15th
Algernon Cadwallader
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, December 20th
The Del Fuegos
Early & Late shows
@ City Winery
Sunday, December 21st
Samantha Fish
Cedric Burnside
Jon Spencer
@ the Wilbur
Saturday, December 27th
John Oliver
@ MGM Music Hall
Sunday, December 28th
The Felice Brothers
Charlotte Cornfield
@ the Sinclair
Monday & Tuesday
December 29th & 30th
The Disco Biscuits
Monday @ the Sinclair
Tuesday @ the Royale
Thursday, January 15th, 2026
Cate Le Bon
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, January 15th
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
"Piano & Voice" performance
@ the MFA Boston
Monday, January 19th
Shame
@ Brighton Music Hall
Thursday, January 27th
The Residents
Eskimo Live! Tour
@ Brighton Music Hall
Saturday & Sunday
January 31st & February 1st
Something In The Way Fest 2026
with Explosions In The Sky,
Sunny Day Real Estate, Citizen,
Tigers Jaw, The Hotelier, Momma,
Angel Dust, February, First Day Back,
Glitterer, Glixen, Gollylagging, Guv,
Graham Hunt, Horse Jumper of Love,
How Much Art, No Warning, Pelican,
Park National, Pool Kids, Sheer Mag,
Wicca Phase Springs Eternal,
and Teen Suicide
@ Roadrunner
February 13th
Nine Inch Nails
@ TD Garden
Friday, February 20th
Marissa Nadler
@ the Somerville Armory
February 28th
Ratboys
Florry
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday, March 3rd
Spiritual Cramp
@ the Sinclair
Monday, March 23rd
Westerman
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, March 29th
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
@ Sanders Theatre
Wednesday, April 1st
Wednesday (the band)
@ the Royale
Thursday, April 2nd
On Cinema Live! with
Tim Heidecker
& Gregg Turkington
@ the Wilbur
Friday, April 3rd
Patrick Watson
@ Somerville Theatre
Thursday, April 16th
Rhiannon Giddens
@ the Orpheum
Thursday, May 14th
Melody's Echo Chamber
@ the Royale
Tuesday & Wednesday
May 19th & 20th
Belle and Sebastian
play "Tigermilk" (19th) and
"If You're Feeling Sinister" (20th)
@ the Orpheum
Wednesday, June 26th
The Church
The Singles Tour
(rescheduled from 8/1/25)
@ Somerville Theatre
Friday, September 4th
Peter Hook & the Light
play New Order's "Get Ready"
@ House of Blues