Friends & Familia: An Evening of the Movie and Music of Fernando Viciconte

PORTLAND'S OWN FERNANDO VICICONTE PERFORMS HIS FIRST SHOW IN SIX YEARS TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF FRIENDS & FAMILIA, A DOCUMENTARY LOOKING BACK AT HIS SEMINAL PACOIMA ALBUM, OCTOBER 6TH AT THE MISSION THEATER, INCLUDING A SCREENING OF THE DOCUMENTARY AND A Q&A SESSION

Oregon Music Hall of Fame, in conjunction with Elliott, Powell, Baden and Baker, proudly presents Friends & Familia: An Evening of the Movie and Music of Fernando Viciconte on October 6th at The Mission Theater. The event celebrates the release of the compelling new documentary, Friends & Familia: Looking Back at Fernando Viciconte's Pacoima Album, and features an intimate performance by Fernando Viciconte, his first show in six years.

The show is all-ages and doubles as a benefit for the Oregon Music Hall of Fame's scholarship fund.

The evening will commence with the screening of the 49-minute documentary, which delves into the origins and impact of Fernando Viciconte's 1998 album Pacoima, and features footage from the 2018 20th Anniversary performance at the Star Theater. Following the film, attendees will enjoy a Q&A session with Fernando Viciconte, director Loren Leed, and Luther Russell, a key contributor to the Pacoima album. The night will conclude with a live performance by Fernando Viciconte, accompanied by Luther Russell and Paul Brainard.

Director Loren Leed reflects on the project, stating, "Back in 2018, we knew that the 20th anniversary performance of his Pacoima album would be a significant event, so I asked videographers Gerry Gerald and Joshin Yamada to come on board to get good coverage for the Star Theater show. Marc Baker hired a sound engineer to capture a multi-track recording so there would be decent audio to work with. We all got caught up in the magic of the night, and after reviewing the footage, I approached Fernando about the idea of telling the story of how the music of Pacoima came to be, and how it led up to this special night."

Leed elaborates on the challenges of the project: "There was over four hours of multi-camera footage of the concert and interviews, hundreds of photos from Fernando's archives, plus another three-plus hours of my archival footage from previous Fernando performances to be reviewed for inclusion in this project. The first cut was well over two hours. After review by a few close friends, the consensus was it would be great for anyone who was already a fan, but too long to successfully introduce him to a wider audience. In the middle of the pandemic, Fernando and I watched the uncut version over two long Zoom sessions, and together pared it down to the heart of the story."

Leed also shares his feelings on the final product: "After carrying a story around in my head for five years, it felt great to release it out to the wild! I'm very pleased with the end result. From the beginning I wanted Fernando and his family to be part of the process. They welcomed our cameras into their home with open arms, and this openness comes across in the stories they share."

The documentary highlights the rich history and unique sound of Pacoima, a record described by All Music Guide's Matthew Greenwald as "a powerful, hard-edged record by a truly committed artist." The album's blend of influences and its raw, honest portrayal of life resonates deeply, and Viciconte hopes the documentary will inspire audiences to revisit and appreciate this classic work.

Viciconte emphasizes the significance of the event: "After a six-year hiatus from performing, I'm thrilled to reunite with Luther Russell and Paul Brainard to celebrate Pacoima's legacy. Supporting [Oregon Music Hall of Fame's] music education for high school kids is a cause close to my heart. It'll be an unforgettable night, and I'm honored to share it with everyone who's been part of my journey."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, INTERVIEW REQUESTS, ETC. PLEASE CONTACT ALEX STEININGER AT IN MUSIC WE TRUST

Trailer:

https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com/?d=youtu.be&u=aHR0cHM6Ly95b3V0dS5iZS9qckJsT0NqenkxYw==&i=NjFkOGI1YzVhYTU0NGExMmYwNjFkN2Y1&t=TnZzWHdYUU5keUNYdy9DdmRVOHJ3Y3BhelJzVzRrdkNZUDhUM1JNRm5DZz0=&h=56f0f05fa3b649e2a514273cfe1a5aeb&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVYhy

Alex Steininger:

alex@inmusicwetrust.com