Music

Vancouver’s struggling punk music scene gets cinematic boost from ‘No Fun City’

Come out for a night of film, rock 'n' roll and mayhem at the 'No Fun City' tour launch

By Jennifer Laidlaw /

Credit: Flickr / Luis Markovic

Underground punk music scene lives on in Vancouver.

No Fun City launches cross-country film tour at the Rickshaw on September 4, 2010

 

No Fun City is becoming the talk of the town. The Vancouver-made documentary, which takes a look at the city’s struggling underground punk music scene, will embark on a cross-Canada and overseas tour this fall due to growing demand from the film festival circuit. A launch event on Saturday, September 4 at the Rickshaw Theatre will kick off the tour and help raise some needed coin to keep the film’s momentum up as it hits festivals in Vancouver, Montreal and London, England.

 

No Fun City tour launch party and fundraiser

www.nofuncity.org

 

Rickshaw Theatre, 254 East Hastings St., Vancouver

 

Saturday, September 4, 2010. Screening at 7 p.m. Live bands at 9 p.m.

 

Performances by Vapid, Twin Crystals, Defektors and the Furies. Music by DJ J-Hag from 3 Inches of Blood. Tickets are $15 at the door.

 

The trials and tribulations of punk in Vancouver

For the past two years, Canadian rock junkies Melissa James and Kate Kroll have been following local punk bands, music venue owners and industry supporters through the trials and tribulations of a scene that refuses to die. The film takes an unapologetic look at the music, the politics and the business of punk—venues closing, outdated city regulations and conflicting business interests—as underground music fights to stay alive.

 

The people behind the music

The documentary is told through interviews with legendary local bands Skinny Puppy and DOA, as well as current Vancouver bands 3 Inches of Blood and Japandroids. It is packed with high-energy music performances, candid behind-the-scenes action, and an explosive soundtrack.

 

Taking our No Fun City on the road


People have been buzzing about No Fun City since its sold-out premiere at DOXA in May of this year. Since then it has screened at the Frozen Film Festival in San Francisco and the Sled Island music and film festival in Calgary. Next up is the OLIO Festival in Vancouver on Sept 25 at the Rio Theatre, a  yet-to-be-announced festival in Montreal on October 2 and Oxjam in London, England on October 8.