Rocking Trailer for LCD Soundsystem Concert Doc "Shut Up and Play the Hits" Arrives

Source: Youtube

I'm surprised it has taken this long for LCD Soundsystem to make a prominent entrance into the film world, even if it's after the group has disbanded. LCD Soundsystem's sound, a mix of pop, electronic, and dance punk, is punchy and momentous- qualities that are easily translated visually (on a side note, I based my film school submission off of one of their songs). James Murphy, the leader of the band, called it quits last year, and the group played a massive final show at Madison Square Garden in April 2011. Yesterday, LCD Soundsystem nonchalantly announced via Facebook that directors Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace will release a documentary based on the performance, Shut Up and Play the Hits, which will debut at Sundance Film Festival in the coming weeks. Hit the jump to view the official synopsis and trailer.

On April 2nd 2011, LCD Soundsystem played its final show at Madison Square Garden. LCD frontman James Murphy had made the conscious decision to disband one of the most celebrated and influential bands of its generation at the peak of its popularity, ensuring that the band would go out on top with the biggest and most ambitious concert of its career. The instantly sold out, near four-hour extravaganza did just that, moving the thousands in attendance to tears of joy and grief, with NEW YORK magazine calling the event "a marvel of pure craft" and TIME magazine lamenting "we may never dance again." SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS is both a narrative film documenting this once in a life time performance and an intimate portrait of James Murphy as he navigates the lead-up to the show, the day after, and the personal and professional ramifications of his decision.

As a huge fan of LCD Soundsystem, I jump for joy over the announcement of Shut Up and Play the Hits. The music is fantastic (a guest appearance by Arcade Fire!), James Murphy opens up, and the camera work comes off as surprisingly orchestrated for what comes off as a low budget project. However, I find it hard to separate my love of LCD Soundsystem from the movie itself. Many music documentaries, such as the U2/Martin Scorsese collaboration U2 3D, are best enjoyed by the fans that already adore the group(s) a given film focuses. Shut Up and Play the Hits is a sort of dream come true for fans- but time will tell if the film can live up to audiences with no knowledge of the band (Sundance may not be the best place for this to be gauged since indie lovers of all kind take up the majority of seats there). Check out the trailer below.

Shut Up and Play the Hits will blast into the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah, on January 22.