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Muse showing ‘Rockumentary’ films

January 10, 2010

Music lovers as well as people who want to expand their musical horizons and spend time with friends might want to check out Muse Music, a local music venue and cafe in Provo, on Monday nights.

Each Monday at 9 p.m., Muse Music, located at 151 N. University Ave., will show documentaries about different bands, styles and eras of music. The films have been dubbed “Rockumentaries.”

Located in the back of the cafe where local musicians usually play, Muse Music’s theater resembles a chic classroom. The room is dimly lit and stylishly unfinished with visible, rustic-looking brick, assorted antique chairs and the film of the week projected on an upright screen onstage.

Jake Haws, who runs Muse Music with his wife Melissa, began this program as a way to “culture people about good music.”

“Hearing about new bands is much more interesting when you know about their background,” Haws said. “We wanted to … get people together in a setting similar to a concert, have them experience the same thing and then talk about it.”

Along with help from friend and local musician John-Ross Boyce, Haws began showing foreign films at Muse Music in September. However, he decided it made more sense to keep the films music-themed to fit “the vibe” of the venue.

“I really like a lot of these movies and I know how cool they are,” Haws said. “I want to give people the chance to see them and hang out with friends at a cafe.”

Boyce, a self-proclaimed “cine-phile,” said if you love something, you should share it.

On Monday, Haws showed the first film of the semester, “Miroir Noir,” a documentary about indie-rock band Arcade Fire and the making of its album “Neon Bible.”

One of the attendees, Reed Winters, a freshman at Utah Valley University, studying behavioral science, said he enjoyed the showing for several reasons.

“The film was incredible and the atmosphere was perfect,” Winters said. “There’s nothing better than seeing a group of students get together to appreciate independent rock music.”

Admission for the weekly showings of the movies is free.

“Our goal is not really to make money,” Haws said. “We just want to get new people into the music and have them introduced to Muse and the local music scene.”

Tonight, the venue will show “I’m Trying to Break Your Heart,” a film featuring the band Wilco, which Haws said is one of the best documentaries they will showcase this semester.

By Chase Larson

Source: BYU Daily Universe

http://universe.byu.edu/node/5055