Localist

Trusty to the Max:

Towncraft Past and Present

by Anne Milligan

Growing up in the suburbs of late-80’s Little Rock, desperately bored and middle class in a repressively conservative Southern culture hardly holds an inkling of a chance to strike most as the set-up for a nationally recognized do-it-yourself punk scene, but the doubtful many would be wrong. From roughly 1985 till the end of the so-called Towncraft period in 1994, Little Rock was host to a vibrantly productive co-op scene that firmly bonded the music to the people-- to a nearly inseparable degree. The scenesters made the music and by and large, the music defined the social scene. Moreover, unlike their arguably do-nothing modern counterparts, all who wanted a place in the unofficial collective were held to significant pressure towards productivity. It was understood: make music, take photos, promote shows, facilitate a fanzine, or get out. A powerful demand on individuals’ time? Certainly. The results of the demands, however, were equally unprecedented.

On May 18, 2007, the world will get a peek into the artifacts, expatriates, and end results of this intensely internal community through Director Richard Matson’s new documentary, Towncraft, to be released simultaneously in theaters, on DVD, and online. Also available for purchase, a special edition Towncraft box set will include the two CD, 40-song soundtrack compiled by Max Recordings as well as a 60-page book navigating various former scene member’s experiences. The name of the film is taken from the culmination of the early-90’s scenesters’ efforts, a labor of community love that resulted in the release of a nationally-acclaimed Little Rock punk rock vinyl compilation named simply, Towncraft. Beginning Tuesday May 15 and lasting until Saturday May 19, five days of shows with twenty bands will frame the film’s release, directing attention to the continuity of a strong local music scene in Little Rock by placing current acts alongside reunions of groups featured in the movie.

Of particular note on the Towncraft Week lineup, punk rock group Trusty will reunite once more for the final day of the fête, May 19, with Ho-Hum, American Princes, and Jason Morphew in tow at the Rumba Revolution Room. Trusty, formed in 1989, was the first band not originally from the established Washington, DC punk rock scene to be signed to hardcore heavy weight, Dischord Records. The group toured extensively until their ‘97 breakup, playing several times prior with the likes of the more famous Fugazi.

After Towncraft Week, the show will go on the road with a national screening of the film in conjunction with a concert tour of Little Rock groups. As of yet, dates include spots in the Midwest and the East, while the West Coast segment is still being fleshed out.

In Arkansas, “you can get married, get a dodge truck and a trailer, or you can really concentrate on something and make it,” one fellow interviewed in Towncraft so aptly said. Without a doubt, the Little Rockers featured in the film did precisely this, opening their own record stores, stealing venues from the city, and creating music on their own terms, unhindered by an intermediary production party. They did it themselves, and in the process formed a community the effects of which continue to ripple through to today’s specific place, time, and purpose-- that thing known as a scene.

TOWNCRAFT WEEK: MAY 15–19

5 Nights of concerts from old and new Little Rock bands plus the World Premier of the TOWNCRAFT movie.

The ALL-ACCESS PASS ($40) gets you:
Entry to all 5 days of events (including the May 18 Premier at Riverdale 10)
& the Towncraft Box Set: DVD, 60-page book, 2-CD / 40-song soundtrack

Click here to purchase.

Day 1:	Tuesday, May 15 - 7pm

	White Water Tavern: The Moving Front, Bloodless Cooties, & Kevin Kerby

Day 2:	Wednesday, May 16 - 9pm

	Sticky Fingers: Tel Aviv, The Contingencies, & Silver Swirly

Day 3:	Thursday, May 17 - 9pm

	The Belvedere (Riverfront Park): Chris Denny & The Old Soles, Magic Cropdusters, Loch Ness, Clicking-Beetle Bad Omen Band

Day 4:	Friday, May 18 - 7pm

	Riverdale Theater: World Premiere of Towncraft Movie Vino's - 9pm Mulehead, Ashtray Babyhead, & Smoke Up Johnny

Day 5:	Saturday, May 19

	The Rev Room: Ho-Hum, American Princes, Trusty, & Jason Morphew