Other Music

2019, dir Puloma Basu, Rob Hatch-Miller w/Chris Vanderloo, Josh Madell, Tunde Adebimpe, Panda Bear, Matt Berninger, Benicio Del Toro, Janeane Garofalo, Martin Gore, Mac McCaughan, Stephin Merritt, Jocelyn Samson, Jason Schwartzman, Regina Spektor, Avey Tare, Dean Wareham, 83 min, DCP

In the summer of 2016, New York City lost a beloved and influential hub of independent music culture. Other Music – located in the heart of Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood – was more than just a store that sold CDs, records, tapes and magazines. It was a place where bands were formed, record labels were born, and careers were launched. And it was THE place where a generation of New Yorkers at the dawn of the Internet age went to discover groundbreaking music by artists who would go on to become household names and underground icons: Animal Collective, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, the National, Interpol, TV On The Radio, Regina Spektor, William Basinski and countless others. 

This stirring documentary tracks the last days of this indispensable institution and delves into what made it so special. Featuring interviews with musicians, employees, and regular customers as well as some terrific archive footage of the legendary in-store performances from Yo La Tengo, Neutral Milk Hotel and others, OTHER MUSIC is a must watch for anyone who wants to celebrate what cultural spaces like the record store (or the repertory cinema) have meant to people in the past – and how their spirit can live on in an increasingly digital world.