Pocatello

"Footloose" meets "High Fidelity" in Pocatello. A heavy metal band plays an outrageous concert in Pocatello, Idaho. But after the band leaves mayhem in its wake, the town's mayor, police force, and religious authorities all conspire to keep rock n' roll out of town. One young woman, Joey, and her band are keeping rock n' roll alive. After driving out of town to play a show, they realize they have to bring the music to their hometown and make sure it stays. Joey's parents and teachers don't understand, but she finds community and inspiration in punk rock. She and her band put on basement shows, trade cassettes and fanzines, and finally -- open up a record store. Pocatello takes place in the late '80s/early '90s and is based on a true story. I originally wrote about Pocatello in my 'zine, Temple of Sting (the real band who played the crazy show that got music banned from the town was Van Halen). I spoke to the then-mayor of Pocatello, the road manager of Van Halen, and local record store owners and club promoters to write the story. Now, Pocatello has a thriving underground music scene.