Matson Films is releasing Towncraft, a book, CD and film set that documents the amazing underground music scene of Little Rock, AR over the last 2 decades.
In the late 80s and early 90s a vibrant underground music scene emerged in Little Rock. Unlike other towns, Little Rock's scene was composed almost entirely of kids. 14-18 year-olds were booking their own shows, starting record labels, opening record stores and playing with large national acts. In the process they would build a tight-knit, flourishing underground community that existed completely outside of the High School norm and was all their own. The film focuses on the roots of the Little Rock scene, how it changed the lives of those involved, the enormous DIY ethos that has shaped the scene for the past 20 years and how the scene continues to thrive as its pioneers hit their mid-30s.
Towncraft will be released in theaters, on DVD and online in the May and June of 2007. A 40 band soundtrack will be released to accompany the film along with a 60 page book of stories from scene expatriates.
"An exhaustive documentary directed with style and humor" Magnet
"A loving, lavish documentary" The Onion
"The story is like your older brother's band's ... but way cooler." CMJ
"A rich and personal documentation of the universal elements that are at the heart of DIY scenes that happen worldwide." SYNC Magazine
"If you are a local music supporter, a Punk fan, an Alternative fan or just like music, you must own this." ImportCDs.com
"You'll find yourself whisked back to a time when music was life and life was all about music." MKE the run down
"An amazing film and thrilling soundtrack ... Makes you wish you were 17 in Little Rock, AR" Dry Ink Magazine
"An honest and compelling look at the ups and downs of creating a punk scene from scratch" Denver Daily News
"Explores the attraction of the music, the power of expression and the importance of community all in one outstanding package!" ImportCDs.com
"Instead of feeling left out, though, you feel invited in, something Matson achieves through interviews with a dozen people who you feel you know by the film's end." Arkansas Times
"Very possibly the most extensive website ever associated with a movie, the site is a veritable repository of the scene, featuring almost exclusively user-generated content – stories, pictures, music and videos on even the most esoteric happenings of the era." Arkansas Times
"A handsome and impressive box set" Commercial Appeal
"A nice time capsule, focuses on one city, but the story could fit anywhere." Creative Loafing
"A testament to the creative fertility of living where nothing happens." Wilamette Week
"If the notion of hundreds of teenagers building their own all-ages club, starting a record store, writing zines, broadcasting their own radio show, and creating a record label all before the age of 17 doesn't give you hope for Portland's all-ages scene, then you must be one cold-hearted bastard." Portland Mercury
"Pioneering ex-punk rockers in Memphis and other cities will recognize the liberating sense of pre-Internet community, DIY artistic expression and progressive ideology that gave the scene a value beyond its music" Commercial Appeal
"Showcases just how passionate the DIY spirit of small-town America was and can be." The Onion