Drive Play Sleep (2017) Online

"Drive, Play, Sleep" is the story of a year in the life of a small, independent band, playing from small town to small town all across North America. While it does feature the artistic and musical work of the band "Pocket Vinyl", the film is generously full of thoughtful and candid interviews and stories from many other independent groups making a life as small touring bands. "Drive, Play, Sleep" is catchy title that captures the major themes of what it is like "on tour" for such bands. I feel that this film gives an accurate, wry and sensitive picture of what it is like to have a passion for your music, art and performance while at the same time showing that it requires a huge investment of heart and love to pull this off. "Drive, Play, Sleep" can also serve as a good introduction to the small independent band genre, as well as a brilliant snapshot of and introduction to the creative work of Pocket Vinyl itself.

A really raw and honest look at the life of a small-time touring band. Sometimes fun and uplifting, sometimes incredibly somber. Definitely worth a watch through.

I feel like it's necessary to start by stating that I'm a fan of the band Pocket Vinyl and then to try my best to not allow that fact to influence my review. In all likelihood, other fans of this extraordinary duo would purchase or rent the documentary regardless of what I have to say, so the people who might benefit the most from my opinion are those who are otherwise unfamiliar with the artistic union of live painting, piano-mashing, and raw emotion that Pocket Vinyl brings. Even more than that, I feel it's necessary to judge this documentary not on the merits of the band at its center, but on its merits as a film. With that in mind...

This is, on every level, an excellent film that may be small in scope and low on budget, but is rich in ideas, honesty, and emotion. Unlike most music-based documentaries, this is in no way a promotional film for Pocket Vinyl. Eric set out to make a film exploring the world of full-time touring bands and that's exactly what he did. The film is well structured and full of real moments, candid interviews, fascinating stories, and a very resonant and relatable central question.

All films have a central theme that ties the material together, but not many are brave enough to allow that theme to be so full of unresolved conflict. The film asks if it's worth continuing to live a lifestyle that is so extreme and so lacking in security just to continue to pursue dreams of creating music. The truth is that many of these bands live in a zone where the answer to that question could change based on how the show went, if the car is running, or where they're going to sleep that night. It seems that to live this lifestyle is to constantly be asking yourself if it's worth it. Thankfully, for us, Eric and Elizabeth have found a way to harness their talents and their love for one another, battling through the tough times, continuing to fight the fight.

(Possible Mild Spoiler) It's rare for a documentary to offer up a single scene that captures the essence of the film, but "Drive. Play. Sleep." manages to do exactly that. In a beautiful sequence, the film cuts between moments of doubt and anxiety from Eric and Elizabeth, including a confessional video that Elizabeth recorded herself. Eric has been filming everything he can for a year, so he likely has hundreds of hours of footage to look at by this point. Elizabeth wonders out loud if Eric will ever even see this footage. "This footage might never get seen." The subjects of this film are all living in the reality that their next song might never be heard and no one might show up for their next show. Yet they persist. They're driven by their art and they will continue to struggle with this seemingly unsustainable lifestyle so long as that passion burns inside. Clearly, their music is meant to be experienced and shared, but there is intrinsic value to the music itself and there is value in whatever series of crappy shows gets them to the next magical evening playing music for a dozen strangers in someone's house.

"Drive. Play. Sleep." is an excellent documentary that tells a unique and vital story that feels at once personal and universal. I laughed. I cried. I really did. I highly recommend renting or purchasing this film and hope that if you have a similarly enjoyable experience, you share it with friends and family.