The Hideout Takes Us To Jamaica With Rockers

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 3, 2012 8:20PM

One can easily get lost following the tendrils of the glorious "golden age of reggae" through Jamaica in the 1970s. There are so many musicians, so many producers, and so many sound systems, that it can be hard to put faces to the names and keep things straight. That's one reason we're really digging what's going on at The Hideout on October 18 a screening of the 1978 reggae drama Rockers.

Tons of Jamaican legends appear in this 99 minute tale of a drummer and record distributor whose mistreatment by some mobsters (they stole the man's motorcycle). But if Burning Spear, Gregory Isaacs, Big Youth, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace (who stars) are not enough, then the scenes of a Jamaica refreshingly lacking in idealized travel brochure should be worth the price of admission. If, like us, you're looking for a well-regarded follow up to The Harder They Come, look no further.

Director Theodoros Bafaloukos lived in Jamaica for two years to make the film, first finding the people he wanted to work with and only then creating a script for a film. When he wasn't being accused of being a CIA agent, he was filming all the colorful characters that made Kingston one of the globe's most fertile musical scenes.

Another reason this evening at the Hideout looks special is that the movie will be followed by a set from locals Magical, Beautiful. The last time we saw Magical, Beautiful at the Hideout, it was to promote reading at a literature meets dance party. We're not sure if they are the official Hideout hybrid musical event act, but we are cool with it.

With these gray October clouds rolling in, a musical journey to Jamaica followed by good local music sounds like the perfect tonic. Film programmer extraordinaire Michael Phillips says this event, called "The First Menagerie" will be followed by others. If Rockers and Magical, Beautiful are the sorts of creatures we can expect to find more of, that is welcome news indeed.

Rockers screens at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 18, with live music from Magical, Beautiful to follow. Tickets are available online.