PERSECUTION BLUES: THE BATTLE FOR THE TOTE
Madman
STILL wondering whether Melbourne is the live music capital of Australia? Settle into the couch with Natalie Van Den Dungen’s documentary Persecution Blues. The heart of the hour-long documentary was almost an accident. The filmmaker had been following Tote publican Bruce Milne for several years, trying to capture the essence of the inner-city Collingwood pub that helped launch the careers of some of the country’s biggest rock acts. In 2009, the state government changed liquor licensing legislation, which led to the venue’s closure in early 2010. Van Den Dungen is there, camera in hand, at the pub’s final show and the rally in which 20,000 protesters took to the streets to save live music. There’s plenty of sweaty gig footage and interviews with music identities, but the documentary focuses more on the socio-political aspects of the venue’s temporary closure. Enjoyable, educational and inspirational.
