A few months back, MTV unveiled its "$5 Cover: Seattle" film, a series of 12 short vignettes woven together to tell a tale about a weekend spent cavorting through Seattle'ês night clubs and bars listening to some of the city'ês finest musicians. The story was fictional, but the baker'ês dozen of bands the film featured were all real.
MTV'ês "Amplified Seattle," an extension of that film, features those same 13 bands — but this time they aren't acting in roles loosely based on their lives. "Amplified Seattle" is a series of 13 five-minute documentaries spotlighting each band. These shorts should provide a good way to learn more about your favorite local band, or perhaps discover a new favorite. The series screens tonight (May 26) at the Neptune Theatre as part of the Seattle International Film Festival.
An "Amplified" documentary featuring the Moondoggies was shown before the premiere of "$5 Cover: Seattle" in March. The feature focused on lead Moondoggie Kevin Murphy and his battles with stage fright. It showed he is almost as endearing as the band'ês Northwest-flavored campfire rock.
Other artists getting the documentary treatment in "Amplified Seattle" include The Lights, Champagne Champagne, Thee Emergency, Thee Satisfaction, Tea Cozies, the Spits and several others. If you miss tonight'ês screening, the "$5 Cover" and "Amplified" series will both be available for viewing online in June.
If you go: MTV'ês "Amplified Seattle" 9:15 p.m. tonight (May 26), Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Tickets cost $11 ($9 with a SIFF membership) and are available here.
