Wetlands Preserved: The Story Of An Activist Rock Club
by Wetlands Preserved: The Story Of An Activist Rock Club
(First Run Features, 97 Minutes)
Larry Bloch had a dream. As founder of Wetlands he saw visions of tie-dye, all night jam sessions and the first-ever activist rock club. From 1989 to 2001 the New York institution was not only the breeding ground of the jam band scene, it created and funded the non-profit Center for Social and Environmental Justice which cost the club over $100,000 a year. By mixing archival live footage from the sweaty club with interviews featuring Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Dave Matthews, Mike Gordon (Phish) and Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), to name few, we get a feel for the special nature of this legendary venue. But like the club itself, that’s only half the story. Picking up where the music lets off, extensive philanthropic conversations with the staff and passionate owners Bloch and Peter Shapiro (who both purchased the Wetlands in 1997 and produced the film) we see how truly committed the club was to social and environmental change. The Wetlands was a special place, a universe unto itself; but like much of NYC it was crushed be gentrification. We’re lucky to have the story preserved for future generations on this highly entertaining documentary.
Special features: Concert footage, outtakes & photo gallery. AARON KAYCE
