VIFF Live | Zappostrophe + Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels Film Screening

Time to fly your freak flag and jump into Frank Zappaland. A prodigious and prolific talent, Zappa (1940-1993) composed, recorded and produced more than 60 albums; music that brought to rock the complexity and sophistication of classical composition, drawing on jazz, blues, pop and music concrete, but leavened with a surreal and satiric wit.

Ahead of his time, Zappa also directed music videos and the feature 200 Motels (with Tony Palmer), a free-form rock tour riff with Keith Moon as a hot nun and Ringo Starr playing a dwarf Zappa that was shot on videotape in just 10 days. It’s a cult curio that revels in its own sense of possibility. Before the movie, enjoy a set of Zappa tunes resurrected and reimagined by the electrifying Zappostrophe, an eclectic 8-piece band who channel surf FZ’s discography.

Blair Fisher – vocals / trumpet / flute / keys
Blair Lewis – guitar / synths / vocals / rubber chicken
LJ Mounteney – vocals / kazoo
Nick Apivor – percussion / vocals
Guenter Schulz – guitar
Cole Tinney – keyboards
Brent Gubbels – bass
Jason Overy – drums