Spend an Evening With Saddle Creek, Bright Eyes, The Faint, Cursive et al - Region 0 DVD

SPEND AN EVENING WITH SADDLE CREEK is the story of the record label as told by the people who made it happen. With extensive interviews, rare performances and archival footage, the film is an oral and visual history of how the combination of talent, dedication and collaboration launched bands like Bright Eyes, Cursive and The Faint into the national eye and has fostered a close-knit family of artists that continues to inspire each other and their fans.


Named after an early showcase, Spend an Evening With Saddle Creek traces the history of the celebrated independent label. Jason Kulbel and Rob Walters, who've long been associated with the Omaha-based imprint, allow the bands and employees to tell the story in their own words (although a little outside perspective would have been nice). Founded by Justin Oberst in 1993, the first release was younger brother Conor's "Water" cassette. At that time, the label was called Lumberjack Records, finally becoming Saddle Creek in 1995. Along with live footage, archival photographs, and such, Kulbel and Walters profile 15 acts (11 currently associated with the label), concentrating on the Faint, Bright Eyes, and Cursive. (Yet another Oberst, Matt, is in the group Sorry About Dresden.) Extras include interviews and early performances from Norman Bailer (the Faint’s original incarnation), Commander Venus (featuring Conor Oberst), and local legends Slowdown Virginia (featuring Cursive’s Tim Kasher). --Kathleen C. Fennessy