Get Tix For The Swell Season Performance & Once Screening

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 22, 2010 8:40PM

The Sound Opinions at the Movies series is on a roll. They have just announced the details for their August installment, and we definitely agree with producer Jason Saldanha: these tickets will sell out fast. The feature will be Once, the slight but acclaimed 2007 feature about a busker falling in love with a young Czech musician on his way to recording a demo (and, in real life, an Academy Award for best song). The screening will be followed by a performance from the film's stars, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová of The Swell Season.

We speculated this was going to happen a few weeks ago, as the choice of Lincoln Hall for a venue couldn't be better suited for the event. Sound Opinions hosts Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis will introduce the film, which will be followed by a Q&A from Hansard and Irglová, then finally a performance from the folk rock duo.

Once was the surprise indie hit of 2007, using the naturalistic style imparted by digital video to tell a very simple but nuanced love story, and leaning on the musical talent and quite evident chemistry of its lead actors to avoid the ornament and artificiality one typically finds in musicals. You won't find a better or more sincere depiction of the intimacy of musical collaboration. Their performance of the song was also a highlight of the 2008 Oscars, as far as we're concerned.

Hansard and Irglová are no longer romantically involved, but still working well together musically. This appears to be Chicagoans only chance to see The Swell Season on their current U.S. tour in support of their 2009 release, Strict Joy.

UPDATE: Well that was fast, tickets are already sold out!

Once, with special guests, will screen on Thursday, August 12 at 8 p.m. at Lincoln Hall. Tickets are available now.