[The ‘Nac Presents] TONIGHT in Cambridge: STRANGE NEGOTIATIONS – the New England premiere of the David Bazan doc at the Brattle!
Posted on October 30, 2019 at 9:10 am | No Comments
As a longtime fan of all things David Bazan-related, including his main outfit Pedro the Lion, his hi-caliber band collaborations like Lo Tom & the Undertow Orchestra, his electro-organic duo Headphones, and his extensive solo output, my ears perked up when I heard whispers of a DB-centric documentary in the works a few years ago. Things got more way official when director Brandon Vedder announced the title: Strange Negotations, taken from the name of his remarkable 2011 solo LP. Nearly 1,600 fans (this one included) ended up crushing a fundraising goal in 2017, with regular updates leading up to a well-received premiere at SXSW earlier this year.
I waited semi-patiently for the roll-out, figuring a Boston-area screening would happen at some point until… it didn’t. More festival appearances and premieres passed with nothing in the Northeast, and that’s when I, uh, sort of took it upon myself to help it happen. Sure, I could have waited until the eventual digital release, but where’s the fun in that? The better option: A big screen & a bunch of other Bazan fans, maybe some popcorn & beer. So emails were sent, connections were made, and a date was decided on. Well, that date has arrived, and it’s tonight, October 30th, 2019 at 7pm sharp in Cambridge’s esteemed Brattle Theatre. How great is that?
A bonus: You see that poster up there? Well, I splurged a little and hired my fave local designer, Nicole at Daykamp Creative, to come up with a screening-specific design to commemorate the occasion. As usual, she nailed it. I’ll have a very limited number of them for sale at this evening’s screening, kindly signed by David and shipped back just in time. I don’t expect to make back the all cash I spent on ’em, but I’ll be happy enough hanging a print on my wall.
If you stick around after the screening, I’ll be moderating a little Q&A with the director Vedder, who will (fingers crossed) be Skyping in remotely from California. Why the “fingers crossed”? Well, it has to do with a certain massive wildfire and a lack of electricity. Dialing in for a chat should probably be the last thing he’s worrying about at the moment. But he’s gonna try.
Have a look at the goosebump-inducing trailer below, and grab your advance tickets right here. So very excited to experience this film with an appreciative crowd. See you tonight in the seats.