When COVID-19 closed down the world, reportedly Chicago was the last band to perform a concert.
The pandemic-dictated break — its first time off since its founding — took a toll on the legendary rock band and it’s sharing its story through the documentary “The Last Band on Stage.”
The film will be showing at the Mary D. Fisher Theater in Sedona from Friday, October 14, to Thursday, October 20. Director Peter Pardini will be on-site for Q&As on Friday, October 14, to Sunday, October 16, and founding member Lee Loughnane, who has a home in Sedona, will do the same from Sunday, October 16, to Tuesday, October 18.
“We were there in 2016 for the film festival in February,” Pardini says about 22nd annual Sedona International Film Festival, which Chicago kicked off.
“I have to say that’s probably the best film festival I’ve ever had a movie at. They had so many extracurricular things to do outside of the screenings. I’m so excited to be coming back to Sedona.”
Pardini’s first Chicago documentary, “Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago,” was screened at the festival. He thought it would be interesting to follow it up five years later, for the band’s 55th anniversary. It also promotes the new single, “If This is Goodbye.”
“When all this COVID stuff happened, that became a silver lining for the movie to have a real hook, versus it just being a follow up,” Pardini says.
“When I heard they were doing an album during the pandemic and Lee was building a studio simultaneously, I thought I could start filming and planning out what the movie would actually be.”
“The Last Band on Stage,” which hit on demand on September 30, is narrated by actor and Tony winner Joe Mantegna.
Pardini says “The Last Band on Stage” was a challenge to film. Due to COVID-19, it was difficult to get footage.
“For the first three to four months of it, we didn’t have any interaction, person to person, besides the videos you see in the movie where they’re playing in their own homes.
“I had to lean on stock footage to show empty streets and all of that. I didn’t want to make it so that it wasn’t a ‘poor us’ type of thing because everyone was going through it.”
The interviews in the film were recorded when Chicago returned to its residency in Las Vegas in September 2021. Pardini edited them immediately and finished them the beginning of February 2022.
Pardini says having a longtime relationship with Chicago has been a learning experience. One of his biggest takeaways is the musicians’ confidence.
“If they make a decision to go out and perform during a pandemic, they did it,” he says.
“They were the first to come back in June 2021, when things were starting to reopen a little bit. They have not stopped since. There were obvious logistics about going on the road and protocol, but they found a way to make sure they don’t stop when they start again.”
“The Last Band on Stage”
WHEN: Various times Friday, October 14, to Thursday, October 20
WHERE: Mary D. Fisher Theater, 2030 W. State Route 89A, Sedona
COST: Various pricing
INFO: sedonafilmfestival.com; view the trailer here: https://bit.ly/ChicagoDoc
