Royal Stompbox presents WATTSTAX
The Royal Cinema
608 College St
Toronto
ON
43.65515667481522
-79.41443994087133
Description
Celebrate Black History Month @ The Royal!
Royal Stompbox presents WATTSTAX
Friday, February 23
7:00pm - Stax Records Pre-Show
8:00pm - WATTSTAX
Maybe the greatest concert film of all time, WATTSTAX is the legendary “black Woodstock”, documenting the epochal 1972 concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a benefit show organized by soul/R&B label Stax Records to commemorate the 1965 Watts riots. Featuring incendiary performances by Isaac Hayes, Albert King, Rufus and Carla Thomas, The Staple Singers, The Emotions, The Dramatics, Johnny Taylor, The Bar-Kays, plus speeches by Jesse Jackson and biting, raging, hilarious commentary from a then little-known Richard Pryor -- WATTSTAX is more than a concert film. It also captures a heady moment in mid-1970s, "black-is-beautiful" African-American culture, when the Watts community came together to celebrate its survival and a renewed hope in its future, and the continuing struggle of the civil rights movement.
WATTSTAX’s many incredible snapshots include intimate on-the-street interviews with Watts residents opening up about their lives, the community and race relations, Richard Pryor stealing the show in every frame, Isaac Hayes throwing off his cape to reveal his body draped in glimmering gold chains, The Staple Singers slaying “Respect Yourself”, and thousands of fans crowding a football field en masse to do the “Funky Chicken” with Rufus Thomas in short shorts.
This DCP is the restored Director’s Cut edition of the film, ending with Isaac Hayes’ “Theme From Shaft” and “Soulsville.”
This listing has no upcoming events
Start:
2018-02-23T20:00:00-05:00
End:
2018-02-23T22:00:00-05:00
Category
Film
Tickets
ADVANCE TICKETS
13.19
CAD
370