After years in the making, a new documentary about the D.I.Y. Brooklyn rock scene of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and the dive bar that birthed it, will have its world premiere in partnership with the Doc ‘N Roll Festival on Tuesday, May 5th at 7 pm at the Nighthawk Cinema in Park Slope.
The film, Before It Was Cool: The Brooklyn Beat from Lauterbach’s, was directed by Michael West and Lia Komakhidze. It retraces this forgotten chapter of New York’s music history through the eyes of interviewer and narrator Rachel Cleary, a host of Radio Free Brooklyn. While interviewing musicians for her show, she uncovers a hidden thread: band after band had roots in this unassuming neighborhood dive bar, Lauterbach’s, a scene held together by passion, experimentation, and an almost family-like bond. Figures like Bob Racioppo of The Shirts and Chemical Wedding helped book shows and nurture the scene, while a constellation of indie, punk, and alternative bands turned competition into collaboration.
In the early 1980s, long before Brooklyn was synonymous with indie cool, Lauterbach’s in the then ungentrified Park Slope became the unlikely heart of a musical revolution. Lauterbach’s was no glamorous venue. Its low ceilings and makeshift stage were more grit than glamour, but what emerged inside its walls was extraordinary: a fiercely creative community of musicians inventing “The Brooklyn Beat.”
When Lauterbach’s abruptly closed for renovations, the scene teetered on the brink of collapse — but instead of vanishing, the artists carried their sound and spirit into the wider world. They proved that the bar was not the movement’s end, but its spark.
Through intimate interviews, archival footage, and vibrant animation, the film resurrects a scene that never sought the spotlight but left a lasting imprint on Brooklyn’s identity. This is not the story of overnight fame or commercial success, but a love letter to a borough before its reinvention. Before It Was Cool captures the beat of a time when art was survival, and community was everything.
NYSMusic.com was one of the first media outlets to spread the word about this film, which was chronicled in this July 2024 feature as it was being made.
The event is sure to bring out some of the rockers who were a part of the scene, many who continue to make music to this day. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the co-directors.
For tickets and info, visit here.
For more details on the film, visit brooklynbeatfilm.com
Doc’n Roll is a womxn-led film agency that platforms and champions marginal voices in the music industry; we are passionate about independent film and music of all genres. Its mission is to celebrate music subcultures by providing a unique platform for creative, compelling, and unforgettable documentaries that highlight performers, labels, scenes, and stories.
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