Imbalanced History Sponsoring Premier Events Scheduled Across The U.S.

Chip Baker Films is proud to announce that their latest film, “Nightclubbing: The Birth of Punk Rock in NYC!” The Imbalanced History podcast is proud to be a part of this launch!

Screenings are listed below. More dates will be added in select theaters world-wide in the coming weeks (in bold), check back for updates. The film premiered at the Dock of the Bay Film Festival in San Sebastián, Spain on May 5th, 2022, where it won the Judges Special Mention award. 

“Nightclubbing” is the first-ever documentary about the renowned New York City nightclub Max’s Kansas City (1965-1981) which had an indelible impact on the worlds of music, fashion, art, culture and the creation of the city’s punk rock scene.

As legendary singer and Max’s veteran Alice Cooper — who signed his contract with Warner Bros. Records at the club — says, “A million ideas were launched back there.” He’s referring to Max’s Kansas City’s famous back room, where Andy Warhol held court and artists, actors, filmmakers, models, writers, assorted criminals and countless musicians — from Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground to David Bowie and the New York Dolls — made an indelible mark on music and the world. Max’s was also an early safe haven for the city’s LGBTQ crowd including Candy Darling, Holly Woodlawn, Jackie Curtis and presided over by transsexual DJ Wayne/Jayne County.

Max’s is where David Bowie first met Iggy Pop — who ended up bloody and being taken to the hospital (by Alice Cooper) after a particularly lively performance. It’s where Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious played his last shows, backed by members of the New York Dolls and the Clash. It’s where Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen were signed to Columbia Records by Clive Davis; where Bob Marley and the Wailers played their first American shows; where Debbie Harry waitressed; where the fledgling Beastie Boys first fought for their right to party; where Madonna first got an early taste of the city’s nightclub scene. Sex and drugs weren’t only commonplace in the bathrooms, but in the entire club.

Over the years, the club’s clientele included Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Jim Morrison, Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, Joan Baez, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Janis Joplin, Nancy Sinatra, John Cale, Brian Jones, Todd Rundgren, Sid Vicious, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Jane Fonda, Warren Beatty, Divine, Jack Nicolson, Dennis Hopper, Al Pacino, Federico Fellini, Stanley Kubrick, Mel Brooks, John Waters, Twiggy, Halston, Bianca Jagger, Betsey Johnson, Williams, William S. Burroughs, Sam Sheppard, Timothy Leary, Robert Mapplethorpe, Annie Leibovitz and even New York Mayor Ed Koch.

And it’s all covered in “Nightclubbing: The Birth of Punk Rock in NYC,” with unique archival footage and exclusive interviews with Alice Cooper, Jayne County, Billy Idol, Steve Stevens, longtime music journalist/Patti Smith Band guitarist Lenny Kaye, late New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain, Warhol superstars Penny Arcade and Ruby Lynn Reyner, Suicide’s Alan Vega, Bad Brains H.R. and Dr. Know, Stimulators’ Denise Mercedes and Nick Marden (and their then-12-year-old drummer, future Cro-Mag Harley Flanagan), Twisted Sister’s Jay Jay French, D Generation’s Jesse Malin, Blondie’s Frank Infante, the Dead Boys’ Jimmy Zero, Stiv Bators’ girlfriend Cynthia Ross, Joey Ramone’s brother Mickey Leigh, Shrapnel/Monster Magnet’s Phil Caivano, Punk Magazine founder and Ramones album cover illustrator John Holmstrom, Mink Deville’s Louis X. Erlanger, American Hardcore author/filmmaker Steven Blush and a who’s who of New York’s rock scene of the time, including Elliott Murphy, Bob Gruen, Peter Crowley, Neon Leon, Leee Black Childers, Marty Thau, Peter Jordan, Donna Destri, Sonny Vincent, Phillys Stein and the fabulous Jimi LaLumia.

The film features rare footage of Iggy & The Stooges, New York Dolls, Sid Vicious and Wayne/Jayne County as well as classic footage from Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.

“Nightclubbing: The Birth of Punk Rock in NYC” theatrical film screening schedule for 2022:

Saturday, July 9th – Mockingbird Cinema – Birmingham, UK

Sunday, July 17th – Regent Theater – Arlington, Mass. (Boston area)

Wednesday, July 19th – Joe’s Pub – New York City (20th sold out!)

Thursday, July 21st – Colony Theater – Woodstock, N.Y.

Thursday, July 24th – The Black Cat – Washington DC

Wednesday, July 27th – Texas Theater – Dallas, TX

Wednesday, July 27th – Metropol – Dusseldorf, Germany 

Thursday, July 28th – The Grog Shop – Cleveland OH

Saturday, July 30th at Joe’s Pub – NYC – 3rd showing in New York!

Saturday, July 30th – Lichtblick – Berlin, Germany

Sunday, July 31st – The Balboa Theater – San Francisco, CA

Thursday, August 4th – The Music Box Theater – Chicago, Ill

Friday, August 5th – Cumberland Theater – Cumbernaud, UK

Friday, August 5th – Playhouse – Perth, UK

Wednesday, August 10th – Trylon – Minneapolis, MN

Friday, August 12th – Brewery Arts& City Varieties – Leeds, UK

Monday, August 15th – Paradise Theater – Toronto

Thursday, August 18th – Philly MOCA – Philadelphia, PA

Saturday, August 20 – Electric Palace – Hastings, UK

Monday, August 22nd – Hollywood Theater – Portland, OR

Tuesday, August 23rd – The Crocodile – Seattle, WA

Thursday, August 25th – Roverstad – Oslo, Norway 

Thursday August 25th: Violet Crown Cinemas ( Austin, Santa Fe, Charlottesville)

August 30th and 31st – Plough Arts Centre – Great Torrington, UK

September 20th – Sub Rooms – Stroud UK

• Sept. 23rd – CHICAGO – Gman Tavern @ The Metro

These theatrical screenings will have a bonus short film as an opener. 

“Sid: The Final Curtain”, a new exclusive short film documenting the final live performance of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious at Max’s Kansas City in Sept. 1978 featuring rare live footage and exclusive interviews from those who witnessed it.

The scheduled screenings of these two Chip Baker produced films will be billed as a “Punk Rock Movie Night”.