LIVE FROM MEMPHIS

Have you ever played in a garage band or did something as a hobby in the hopes of doing it for a living? Over time, you get older, life happens, the band breaks up, dreams fade, the quest for fame and fortune falls by the wayside in favor or reality and sensibility. What if you didn’t make it, but you didn’t give up that dream, either? What if you kept at it, even though you had to balance a day job and the dream for most of your life? What if you never gave up on the dream, even when it looked like it would never happen? Your life would probably be a lot like the members of Anvil.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil had one screening in Memphis at  the Ridgeway Four last Sunday night. The movie chronicles the story of the eponymous Canadian hair-metal band. In their heyday, they were hailed as "demi-gods of Canadian metal". They also gained notoriety for playing a huge concert in Japan with The Scorpions, Whitesnake, and Bon Jovi. All of this was taking place around the time that their most successful album and song, “Metal on Metal” were creating a buzz for the group. For some reason, whether poor management or bad timing, Anvil never became the successful act that everybody thought they were destined to become. Many years passed, members came and went, but the core of the group, Steve “Lips” Kudlow (the singer and lead guitarist) and Robb Reiner (the drummer) remained. Kudlow and Reiner work crummy day jobs and perform at small venues whenever they can. Anvil meets with a superfan named Tiziana Arrigoni and she arranges for them to tour Europe. It is a small tour, full of mistakes and drama. After that, Kudlow decides to contact the producer of the Metal on Metal album CT (Chris Tsangarides) and convince him to produce their thirteenth album, This is Thirteen. Kudlow and Reiner feel like this could be their last chance at “the big time”. 

Anvil is not just the story of the band but the story of the friendship between Reiner and Kudlow. These two friends made a pact at a very early age, and they have kept it. You see their arguments and disagreements and Reiner’s frustration with following the dream. In contrast, Kudlow gets frustrated, but he always tries to see the bright side in the situation. Like in The Wrestler, it is interesting to see performers past their “prime” who are still following their dream because they love it and are still hoping to get back into the limelight some day. You really feel for Kudlow because he wants this so badly. You also see that their families try to be supportive and want them to be successful even though the situation seems hopeless. Anvil is also an inspirational tale about never giving up on your dreams. To see two guys in their fifties still trying to chase their dreams after all these years is inspirational. You want to believe in these guys and you want to believe that their window of opportunity has not passed. You want to believe, because everybody loves a good story of the underdog rising up and beating the odds. Anvil is a great true-life underdog story. I loved their story and was inspired by their struggles. 

After the film, the band Anvil performed a four-song set.  They played "This is Thirteen", "666", "White Rhino", and "Metal on Metal". I have never attended a metal concert before, but this was awesome!! I found myself moving closer to really see what was going on, and I also found myself banging my head and rocking out. It was a great experience. I really plan to go to their website and buy the album soon. I also gave my opinion of the film for footage to be placed on their website.  The film and the concert were both great. I give Anvil! The Story of Anvil 5 out of 5 stars., and look forward to buying it on DVD. Anvil proves that you are never too old to rock and roll, and that "metal on metal" is an awesome sound.