Product Description

Wetlands was one of the hottest venues for underground music in New York City. Until 2001 this ex-Chinese restaurant just south of the Holland Tunnel hosted the latest up-and-coming artists in every musical genre. But it was much more than a typical rock and roll joint. This insightful and entertaining documentary tracks the history of this first-ever activist nightclub, a place that was as devoted to environmental and political issues as it was to partying and great music. Featuring interviews and concert footage with artists like Dave Matthews, Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers Band), Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Phish, and Blues Traveler.

Review

Crammed with colorful interviews, digital animation and live performances, this frisky and forthright film chronicles a vision of financing social progress with really great tunes. --New York Times

A funny and heartfelt tribute to a legendary New York rock club...inventive, first-rate... a fond and funny family album for anybody who ever spent a sweaty night there, and it conjures just enough of the place and time to give everybody else an idea of what they missed. --About.com

It's hard not to appreciate the idealism and unbridled optimism of an activist nightclub that survived in New York City for more than 10 years before being beaten down by Mayor Giuliani and rampant gentrification. --Austin Chronicle

Product details

MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.72 ounces
Item model number ‏ : ‎ 3708037
Director ‏ : ‎ Dean Budnick
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 37 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ April 22, 2008
Actors ‏ : ‎ Spin Doctors, Bob Weir, Mike Gordon, Ben Harper, Adam Weissman
Studio ‏ : ‎ First Run Features
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0011ZW0LA
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Best Sellers Rank: #275,166 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #10,100 in Music Videos & Concerts (Movies & TV)
- #13,996 in Documentary (Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews:
4.0 19 ratings

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The Space Fish

If you like jamband or NYC live music history....you'll absolutely love this documentary.

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

Absolutely love this documentary. If you are at all a fan of jam music and it's history, this documentary is for you. It is about the Wetlands venue in NYC and has interviews with greats like Mike Gordon, Dave Matthews, Bob Weir, members of the Roots and moe., Warren Haynes and a ton more. If you're looking for raw concert footage you won't really find it here as it is more about understanding the venue and it's importance in the scene. Peter Shapiro (who produces the Locken music festival as well as several other important live music ventures) got his start by buying the venue after the initial owner couldn't continue. If that sentence at all interests you, you'll love this documentary.

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mary e walsh

Throwback in Psychedelic Jam Band Musical History

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018

Verified Purchase

Great film Brought back a lot of memories. Not a lot of music but great hearing the history.

Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2013

Verified Purchase

not a concert, it is a documentary and do not like. I think it is well specified that it is a documentary.

One person found this helpful

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Eddo

Wetlands NYC

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2016

Loved it.

Great memories and behind the scenes of a lost era.

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

Really greasy history and behind the scenes. My friends and I used to go there and dance (sweat) our asses off listens to great jam bands like The Authority, BluesTraveler, and the Spin Doctors when they were all just breaking big in 88-90. Always a good time and I had forgotten how when you left the sun was coming up. Great memories and a piece of NYC history that marked a specific time in the music scene that will never be repeated. Just wish there was even more footage of the acts. Especially, the Authority who never really broke big but who was the best thing around, at the time. Nightingales, Wetlands, and the whole NYC jam scene.

One person found this helpful

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M. Kessel

People talk about the night club. Music takes a back seat.

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

Not what I thought. A lot of talking, not much music.

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Delite Rancher

A loving, well-done tribute to a musical hallmark

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2008

I was fortunate enough to visit the Wetlands. As an incubator for the jamband scene, the place tugs on my heart strings. While a city like New York might have hosted many such environments, the Wetlands stood alone. In "Wetlands Preserved: the story of an Activist Rock Club," owners Larry and Laura Bloch passionately discuss the club's environmental activities. A loving narrative is given about the origins of the Wetlands' famous VW bus. Currently, the bus rests in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Back in the day, I was always baffled by what seemed a schizophrenic inclusion of hardcore and hip hop bands. After hearing Larry Bloch's explanation, it all makes sense and makes him even more endearing. It's all here as the film includes pieces on the colorful bathrooms, conflicts with neighbors and the transfer of ownership to Peter Shapiro. One of the least known causalities of September 11, 2001, the club's demise is shown. The multitude of interviews include the thoughts of Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), Rob Baracco (Phil & Friends), Dave Mathews, Eric Wilson (Sublime), Al Schnier & Rob Derhak (moe.), Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule), Jon Gutwillig (Disco Biscuits), Robert Hunter, Jimmy G. (Murphy's Law), Mike Gordon (Phish) and local thinkers, patrons and activists. The vast and eclectic interviews show that this documentary was a labor of love that had been under construction for years. In terms of the soundtrack, all of the music featured in "Wetlands Preserved" was actually recorded at the venue. Musical vignettes are given to Blues Traveler, Sublime, Phish and moe. Perhaps surprisingly, the production is excellent. Live video footage is augmented with photographs that are embellished with the hippest digital effects. It is surprising that so many of the venue's photos, videos and flyers still exist. The attention to detail is impeccable as background graphics even feature the uniquely stylized schedules. Long before the Internet, these Village Voice schedules were how heads found out about who was playing at the Wetlands. For anyone who was fortunate enough to experience the Wetlands, this film will bring back a flood of memories. That written, the music and production is strong enough that "Wetlands Preserved" will be a highly entertaining experience for those who've only recently heard of the musical hallmark.

7 people found this helpful

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dtm

Somewhat misleading.

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2009

As someone who had heard so much about the Wetlands venue, and never been there this dvd caught my attention right away. In addition i am a huge fan of alot of the bands featured on both the cover and in the description. After coming across this at a local music store and reading the backside "featuring performances by:" i was excited to view this. I did expect this to be a documentary and not a series of live performances, however this movie is 1 and 1/2 hours long featuring VERY VERY little in the way of live footage. It is mostly interviews and photos, a moving collage of past shows with backing music. The content IS interesting but it is drawn out way too long. About half-way through this, the interviews fell flat, re-hashing alot of the same memories, and with almost no live footage (small breif clips only a few times) it becomes very boring to watch. In conclusion, condense this into a 45min film and its quite good. The Wetlands was a very cool place and time, worthy of recognition- but if your ever interested in knowing more, ill let you borrow my copy of this anytime- i wont be watching it again.

4 people found this helpful

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