The music documentary film Bleeding Audio by Chelsea Christer on the rise and fall story on the alternative punk band from Oakland “The Matches” has been selected to screen at Slamdance Film Festival 2021. The film is one of 25 features, one of 8 documentaries, and the ONLY music documentary in the festival lineup. The virtual festival will run February 12-25, 2021 with a two-night drive-in presentation in Joshua Tree, CA open to the public February 13-14, and closing in Los Angeles February 25, 2021.
Bleeding Audio is an intimate portrait detailing The Matches story while answering the question of why the band called it quits when they were so close to breaking out. The Matches had a promising career, a defeating break up, and inspiring reunion and it is told through the eyes of bandmates Shawn, Jon, Matt, and Justin. Their story is not necessarily unique, as many bands were taken out by the digital age of the music industry, but in the documentary interviews, it is apparent most musicians and industry executives had a similar reflection on how the industry has changed.
“The journey to tell this story really began in 2014 when they informed me of their decision to reunite. . . . Once their reunion proved to be as special as I predicted, The Matches were humbled and started to look back at their career through a different lens. I convinced them that their story was worthy of a feature.”—Chelsea Christer (Director).
Bleeding Audio not only features personal and intimate interviews with The Matches band members themselves but also dozens of well-known musicians contributed their own interviews to the film, such as, Mark Hoppus (Blink 182), Nick Hexum (311), Tom Higgenson (Plain White T’s), Simon Neil & James Johnston (Biffy Clyro), Cassadee Pope (Singer/Songwriter), Justin Pierre & Tony Thaxton (Motion City Soundtrack), to name a few. “The Matches were always a band for me that was like, how is this not massive? I remember seeing them live for the first time, and I was like this show is awesome. This should be in an arena. I felt like I was experiencing history in the making.”— Cassadee Pope (Singer/Songwriter).
FESTIVAL WINS
Audience Award for Feature Documentary September 2020 at Dances with Films and SF DOC Fest; October 2020 at Cinequest Film Festival; December 2020 Lake County Film Festival.