Let There Be Rock Doc

Athens, Georgia's Drive-By Truckers formed in 1996 and spent a good five years paying their dues before they broke through with 2001's Southern Rock Opera, a double-LP concept record about Lynyrd Skynyrd and "the duality of the Southern thing" that they self-financed with the help of their fans. Since then,...

By Noah W. Bailey

December 9, 2010

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Athens, Georgia's Drive-By Truckers formed in 1996 and spent a good five years paying their dues before they broke through with 2001's Southern Rock Opera, a double-LP concept record about Lynyrd Skynyrd and "the duality of the Southern thing" that they self-financed with the help of their fans. Since then, they've recorded a string of critically acclaimed albums that stands among the finest runs by any artist this decade and toured with everyone from Skynyrd to Tom Petty, often blowing the musical legends off the stage with their fiery opening sets. Like any classic rock band, their story has many twists and turns, from a near break-up to the departure of guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell. Both events are captured for posterity in The Secret To A Happy Ending, a new documentary from director Barr Weissman, who spent three years filming the band and capturing the mix of Southern storytelling and balls-out rock 'n' roll that makes them so special. The Truckers will be back in town soon enough (their newest album, Go-Go Boots, arrives in February), but until then, the film is your best chance to get your fix of their swampy Skynyrd-meets-Crazy Horse sound. Catch it in a special screening 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Studio Movie Grill, 11170 N. Central Expressway. Tickets are $9.50. Call 214-361-2966 or visit studiomoviegrill.com.
Thu., Dec. 9, 7:30 p.m., 2010

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