from October 09, 2005

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Adrian Belew in “The Bears: Out of Hibernation”

Prog rock guitar hero Adrian Belew of King Crimson reunites with his bandmates in the rock quartet The Bears, in Film Foetus’ new rockumentary “The Bears: Out of Hibernation.”

“The Bears” has its world premiere Oct. 5 in Cincinnati, where three of the Bears live, then has its Chicago debut in screenings at the Film Center Oct. 9 and 13.

“Adrian’s work is multifaceted, really across the board, and he sticks with The Bears because he likes their format and he likes playing with these guys,” said director D.P. Carlson of Film Foetus. “The joy is going out on the road and being with each other.”

Carlson captures that joy, as well as the frustrations and mundanities of independent touring, in “Out of Hibernation.”

“These are guys who are doing it all by themselves, the business and the booking too, without any major label or studio or funding,” Carlson said.

“The film celebrates that philosophy, of ‘fuck everybody, we’ll do it ourselves.’ They’ve been around the music business long enough to know it’s a crooked game. When you do it yourself it’s more work, but it’s a more satisfying endeavor. That’s how I feel as an independent filmmaker.”

Carlson and fellow producer/shooters Blair Holmes and Mike Weber followed the Bears over a 36-hour mini-tour through Detroit and Chicago in 2002, in which the four longtime friends played together onstage for the first time in 13 years, promoting their 2001 album Car on Fire.

“Out of Hibernation” catches The Bears at the top of their game in sold out shows at the Magic Bag outside Detroit and at Martyrs’ in Chicago, where club owner Ray Quinn did the spot-on live mix.

The Bears: Bob Nyswonger (from left), Chris Arduser, Rob Fetters and Adrian Belew

“They stick to a pop formula, with three-to-four-minute songs, but they’re very experimental with the guitar sounds and their harmonies,” Carlson said. “There’s some very refreshing things going on within that pop structure.”

When Belew completes his solo world tour he’ll join fellow Bears Rob Fetters, Bob Nyswonger and Chris Arduser, to finish their new album, which they plan to self-release next year.

“The Bears: Out of Hibernation” screens Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati, with appearances by band members; and Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8:15 p.m. at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State.

The Psychodots, featuring Nyswonger, Arduser and Fetters, will perform at a screening Saturday, Nov. 26 at Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln.

Carlson made the documentary “Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River,” which has been playing in segments throughout the year at the Midwest Independent Film Festival.

His next film “Joe Frank Live in Chicago,” documenting the experimental public radio host’s performance in the Third Coast Audio Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art, is due for completion this winter.

Carlson is also making the EPK and producing the behind-the-scenes footage for Bob Meyers’ indie feature “Drunkboat,” starring John Malkovich and John Goodman, which is currently in reshoots.

See www.filmfoetus.com. —Ed M. Koziarski

Ed M. Koziarski is co-director of the feature film “The First Breath of Tengan Rei”. Email:

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