Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks Share its Documentary Short Film 'Sparkle Hard: The Movie'

With the release of their new album, Sparkle Hard, heading our way on May 18th, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks have shared an eponymous documentary short film shot on-location in Portland, OR this past January, directed by Brook Linder.  It’s an intimate and brilliant glimpse into the quotidian world of Stephen Malkmus – songwriting legend, tennis champ, horseback rider, band-leader, and all-around charming goofball.  “Since watching this doc,” says Stephen, “I’ve improved my tennis game immensely… I’ve shortened my follow through on the forehand and made progress on a buttery topspin backhand.”
Director Brook Linder has shared his inspiration, explaining “I have long been a Malkmus fan, and for years have thought very hard about what I would make with him given the opportunity. He’s such a unique character and there’s obviously so much history involved – making anything at all seemed pretty formidable.  To me he is mysterious and nothing is obvious. The idea of making a typical visual to match the sound was out straight away.”  Brook, thinking back to when he first saw Malkmus play live, at Pitchfork Fest 2007, recalled “the set was mostly Malkmus and an acoustic guitar, and it was so raw and funny and vulnerable and felt rare and weird.  I wanted to capture that side of Malkmus somehow – to grab the mundane details of his life – and it turns out they’re as enigmatic as he is.”

 

Tour Dates:
6/1/18 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club SOLD OUT
6/2/18 – Milwaukee, WI – The Back Room at Colectivo SOLD OUT
6/3/18 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall SOLD OUT
6/5/18 – Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups SOLD OUT
6/6/18 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater
6/7/18 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
6/8/18 – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
6/9/18 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace SOLD OUT
6/11/18 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Fairmount
6/12/18 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair SOLD OUT
6/14/18 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT
6/15/18 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT
6/16/18 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
6/17/18 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
6/19/18 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
6/20/18 – Athens, GA – The Georgia Theatre
6/21/18 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
6/22/18 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar SOLD OUT
6/23/18 – Cincinnati, OH – The Woodward Theater
7/17/18 – Petaluma, CA – Mystic Theatre
7/18/18 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
7/20/18 – San Diego, CA – Casbah SOLD OUT
7/22/18 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
7/23/18 – Albuquerque NM – Launchpad
7/25/18 – Austin, TX – The Mohawk
7/26/18 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
7/27/18 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
7/28/18 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard
7/29/18 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar
7/31/18 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
8/1/18 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
8/3/18 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
8/4/18 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
8/5/18 – Portland, OR – Star Theater