The documentary, which covers a year in the life of the band Pocket Vinyl, shows some of the band’s firsthand experiences, as well as including interviews from over 30 independent musicians. Interviewees’ stories around different themes — sleeping arrangements, booking, car troubles — are paired with clips of Pocket Vinyl experiencing these same things. Paced and edited smoothly, the documentary is interesting, thought-provoking and engaging from start to finish.
While Drive. Play. Sleep. certainly has its serious moments, the topics are covered with levity and joy, resulting in an educational, uplifting and fun experience — both for those uninitiated to life on the road for the DIY, independent musician and those who’ve been there themselves. Eric and Elizabeth are naturals on camera, and you may find yourself wishing they were your best friends by the time the film is over.
I bought a copy of Drive. Play. Sleep., which will be available for physical and digital distribution in the coming months (and is available now as a physical copy if you catch Pocket Vinyl on tour). First, I’m going to circulate it among everyone in my band. After that, I’m going to show it to anyone to whom I’ve been unable to perfectly describe the experience of being an independent musician. Family will come next. Frankly, if you have any interest in music, this movie is for you. If you’ve ever been to a small, local concert, this movie is for you. If you’ve ever been friends with a musician, this movie is for you. It will be up for pre-order at some point at the end of October. Buy it.
