Special appearance by Musician
Jon Langford

Special appearance by Musician Jon Langford on June 14 at the Flat Iron Co-op in Bellows Falls 

Followed by a screening of the film PRIDE at 7:00 pm at the Bellows Falls Opera House 

 

(BELLOWS FALLS, VT) Jon Langford is a superb storyteller, musician and artist, whose work encompasses political and cultural themes of self-determination and personal expression. He will be making a special appearance at the Flat Iron Co-Op, 51 Village Square in Bellows Falls on June 14 at 5:30 pm, in conjunction with the screening of the 2014 film PRIDE at the Bellows Falls Opera House that evening. There is no charge to attend the Langford show. Tickets are $6.00 for the film. 

Jon Langford was born in Newport, Wales, and emigrated to Chicago in the early 1990’s. He is a founding member of legendary Leeds punk band the Mekons, art-metal power trio the Three Johns, and militant hard-country rockers the Waco Brothers. His art hangs in the Country Music Hall of Fame and numerous public and private collections around the world. 

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On June 14, the June Classic Film Wednesday programming at the Bellows Falls Opera House features the 2014 movie, PRIDE, with a superb ensemble cast including Bill Nighy and Dominic West, and tells the heartwarming, improbable, yet true, story of the alliance formed between striking small-town Welch coal miners and a cadre of young London gay and lesbian activists during the Thatcher era. 

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The Conservative UK government of 1984 was ardently anti trade-union, and, when mineworkers went on strike, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher saw an opportunity to deliver a decisive blow against the unions. Aided by the tabloid press, Thatcher demonized the strikers, even going so far as to refer to them as “the enemy within” in one speech. A group of young gay activists, who, feeling they had much in common with the miners, started raising and sending money to aid strike efforts. Although initially extremely hesitant about accepting support from a group even more ostracized than they, the miners eventually welcomed the gays and lesbians into their community, and lasting friendships were born. 

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“Prior to it being announced as part of Pride Month here in BF, I had never heard of the movie,” says event organizer Charlie Hunter, “and certainly had never heard of the extraordinary friendship that occurred between two groups you wouldn’t think would normally have much to say to one another. When I watched the movie, I absolutely fell in love with it - it is so sweet, so funny and gives one hope for reconciliation during times as divided as these.” 

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Hunter called Langford, who he knows from several music trains Hunter has organized over the years. “Knowing that Jon is both Welsh and political, I asked him if he’d ever heard of the movie. He said it is one of his favorite films. Since he was scheduled to be in New York the day after the screening here, I invited him to come by, play a few songs, and fill us in on a little bit of the actual history surrounding the movie.” 

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“It is an unbelievably wonderful film,” says Hunter. “If you’ve ever seen THE FULL MONTY, PRIDE has a similarly sweet tone, but without the striptease subplot. Please, please, please attend, even if you don’t think you care much about coal strikes, gay activism or the Thatcher era - I promise you, you’re going to love it.” 

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PRIDE is rated R, has a running time of 1 hour 59 minutes, and is sponsored by the National LGBT Coming Out Support Hotline. It is really only offensive to those who dislike vegetarians. Tickets are $6.00 and are available at www.BellowsFallsOperaHouse.com or at the door. The Langford event is free, though a bucket will be passed to help defray costs.