It has been almost nine months since Louisville’s beloved record store ear X-tacy closed their doors forever. The business failed amidst a storm of controversy as owner John Timmons exhorted music-lovers to not to let our local treasure die. Regardless of where one stood in opinion of Timmons’ infamous youtube pleas, all felt the loss of the greatest music store to ever grace our city. While other, smaller record stores have sprung up to try to fill the gap for those looking for hard-to-find music, ear X-tacy is still sorely missed by many.
In April, local filmmaker (and co-founder of this weekend’s Lebowski Fest) Scott Shuffitt presented the Louisville premiere of his documentary Brick & Mortar & Love. Originally intended as a portrait of ear X-tacy and the plight of physical record stores in general during the age of mp3s and digital downloads, Shuffitt turned out to be well-placed as the ship began to sink, and he was able to document the downfall. The result is a love letter to the store and what it meant to our local music scene, as well as a balanced look at the difficulties of small businesses in today’s economy. (My complete review of the film can be found here.)
Now, Scott Shuffitt presents a second Louisville screening of Brick & Mortar & Love this Sunday, July 22, at the Louisville Film Society’s Dreamland Film Center. The film plays at 12:30 and Shuffitt himself will be in attendance for an audience Q&A following the screening. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance through Ticketweb.
The Dreamland Film Center is located at 810 E. Market Street. Further information about the Brick & Mortar & Love can be found at the film screening’s Facebook event page or at the film’s website.
Image: Brick & Mortar & Love website
