Image courtesy of the Downtown Long Beach Associates.

Now entering its eighth season, the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA)’s Summer and Music (SAM) has built what is arguably one of the most loved and respected music events in Long Beach. It thus seemed more than fitting that the founders and organizers document its compelling history as the festival moves forward.

The DLBA-sponsored documentary will be screened at the Art Theatre free-of-charge on Thursday, May 19 at 6:00PM, alongside live music by Tigers in the Sky, Kontrapunktus and a special performance by Greater California backed by the Greater California Choir. DJ duties will be provided by local favorite Dennis Owens, spinning an entire set dedicated to the sound of Long Beach’s coveted funk night The Good Foot.

The idea for the short film was fully realized when Long Beach filmmaker and musician Graham Lovelis was asked to guide the project last summer. Lovelis captured not only the vibe of last year’s festivities, but also the history, dedication and love of music that has made SAM such a success.

“Music and Long Beach have this impossible-to-undo relationship and although a lot of cities may make similar claims, there is a symbiotic nature in the relationship between this city and its musicians that is unmatched,” stated Justin Hectus, co-founder of SAM on the DLBA website. “It was our hope to capture a taste of that on film and we’re proud to say that we believe we achieved that.”

SAM’s history of top notch performers includes the Cold War Kids, Nick Waterhouse, Rival Sons, Matt Costa, De Lux, Delta Spirit, Everest, Allah Las, Fartbarf, Beachwood Sparks, Chicano Batman, Sam Outlaw, Avi Buffalo, the Tijuana Panthers, and more, a testament to Long Beach as a talent fostering hub.

“Even before I was asked to take on this project, I had a connection with SAM as a musician,” Lovelis said on the DLBA site. “My band The Fling has performed at SAM. I’ve toured with a lot of the bands that have been a part of SAM. So for me, in approaching the film, there was already a personal connection that I wanted to convey—which is perfect for SAM because like all things Long Beach, it’s personal. It’s specific. It’s us.”

Summer and Music: The Documentary will screen on May 19 at the Art Theatre. Doors open at 6:00PM. The event is free and open to the public but is limited in capacity; seats will be provided on a first-come-first serve basis. For more information, visit the event page here. 

The Art Theatre is located at 2025 East 4th Street.