Lubbock Lights



Studio: 289 Films

(3½ out of 5)

Why has Lubbock, a relatively small city, had such a large impact on music in Texas and beyond? The documentary Lubbock Lights sets out to answer just that question.

Directed and produced by Amy Maner and George Sledge, Lubbock Lights begins with an exploration of what makes Lubbock physically and culturally unique.

The city's flatness and relative isolation can make one can feel lonesome, even when surrounded by its 200,000 denizens.

"It makes you feel both like you're the center of your own world," says Joe Ely, "and also that you're just one little ant in the middle of vast nothingness. So you feel both insignificant because there's nothing else, and you feel kind of like it's limitless."

Such limitlessness can inspire creativity, given the right cultural context.

Historically conservative, Lubbock unwittingly bred a counterculture music scene in reaction to residents' Protestant ethic and straight-laced, traditional values. Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and Waylon Jennings are among the influential 20th century artists to emerge from the nascent rock and roll scene of Lubbock and its near environs.

The provocative and beautifully-shot opening segments give way to a series of mini-bios on some of Lubbock's better-known still-living musicians, including Tommy X Hancock, Terry Allen, Lloyd Maines, and the Legendary Stardust Cowboy.

The bulk of the film centers on Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock, who perform collectively as the Flatlanders. Once more a legend than a band, the reunited Flatlanders have again secured Lubbock's place in the global musical consciousness.

While entertaining, the bios fail to build on the momentum established in the opening scenes. The "why Lubbock?" question is largely side-stepped in favor of performance footage and background interviews.

Maybe it's the landscape. Perhaps it's the culture. Or it could be the UFO sightings that give the film its name. For some reason, Lubbock has had a disproportionately significant impact on Texas and American music.

Lubbock Lights may not explain just why Lubbock has produced so many influential artists, but through archival footage and copious interviews it entertains while reinforcing the city's reputation as a hotbed of musical creativity.

View clips and order the film at lubbock-lights.com.

October 22, 2005