WJCT Public Media has announced its debut “Film at WJCT Studios” series. Starting on Jan. 15, WJCT will kick off the series with three music-related films presented under the banner of The Jacksonville Music Experience, or JME.
- Jan. 15 — “Elvis: That’s The Way It Is”: This feature-length concert film crosses the footlights, revealing the legendary singer as a man preparing for an emotional career comeback and the electrifying live performance of the rock ‘n’ roll giant.
- Jan. 22 — “ENO”: A generative documentary about the visionary musician and artist Brian Eno revealing his creative process, with many possible iterations, no viewing is the same twice. “ENO” is shortlisted for this year’s Academy Award for best documentary feature.
- Jan. 29 — “Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”: “Summer of Soul” is part music film and part historical record created around an epic event, the six-week Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating Black history, culture and fashion. Directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, “Summer of Soul” has won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and a Grammy for Best Music Film.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the films screen at 7 p.m. for each date. Tickets are $5, and popcorn and drinks (including beer and wine) will be available for purchase. Each screening will include a relevant guest experience.
WJCT Studios are located at 100 Festival Park Ave., Jacksonville. For more information and links to tickets, go to wjct.org/events/community/film-at-wjct-studios-music.
“At WJCT Public Media, we’re committed to creating spaces where our community can come together to celebrate music, storytelling and culture,” said David McGowan, president and CEO of WJCT Public Media. “With our new “Film at WJCT Studios” series and the JME Soundstage Series, we’re offering unique opportunities for audiences to experience world-class films and live performances while also showcasing the incredible talent within Northeast Florida. These events reflect our mission to inspire, connect, and build a stronger community through shared experiences.”
Coming soon
Beginning in February, JME and WJCT Public Media will pair internationally acclaimed artists with local and regional acts for the JME (Jacksonville Music Experience) Soundstage Series, a season of concerts aimed at building community through music discovery.
The series features headliners Rahill, Levitation Room, Shannon & the Clams and Ghost Funk Orchestra. In addition to internationally acclaimed headliners, each JME Soundstage Series concert will introduce audiences to emerging local and regional acts.
Complete lineups will be announced closer to each show date.
- Feb. 21 — Rahill: A founding member of popular New York City garage-rock band Habibi, multi-disciplinary artist Rahill’s debut 2023 full-length, “Flowers at Your Feet” (which features production assistance from Beck) earned a Best New Release nod from NPR Music and Best New Album from Bandcamp. Rahill is recommended if you like enjoyable, avant-garde pop by artists like Beck, Cate Le Bon and Clairo. Jax indie-folk ensemble Sun Child and local R&B/soul artist K.UTIE are opening the show. Show schedule: Doors open 6 p.m.; Sun Child 7 p.m., K.UTIE 8 p.m., Rahill 9 p.m. Tickets are priced from $25 to $80 and are available at jaxmusic.org.
- March 29 — Levitation Room: A standout of the international psych scene and a music-festival staple, hard-rocking psych/garage quartet Levitation Room has earned wide acclaim for its raucous, sold-out live shows across the U.S. and Europe. The band’s 2024 album, “Strange Weather,” is a cosmic trip of primitive rock ‘n’ roll, blues and psychedelia. Levitation Room is recommended if you like garage rock from bands like The Kinks, Allah-Las and Rolling Stones. Opening the show is local retro-country group Patsy’s Daydream, with an additional local band to be announced. Show schedule: Doors open 6 p.m., Patsy’s Daydream 7 p.m., (TBA) 8 p.m., Levitation Room 9 p.m. Tickets are priced from $25 to $80 and are available at jaxmusic.org.
- April 12 — Shannon & The Clams: Led by singer-songwriter and bassist Shannon Shaw, the Oakland-bred Shannon & The Clams is beloved for fusing feel-good doo-wop, R&B, garage rock and other retro sounds. The group’s seventh studio album, 2024’s “The Moon is in the Wrong Place” (produced by longtime collaborator the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach), spent weeks at the top of the college radio charts and earned praise from Paste Magazine, Spin and more. Shannon & The Clams is recommended if you like indie rock with great harmonies from bands like La Luz, Black Lips and Allah-Las. The Clams are on tour with the Austin indie duo Being Dead. Opening the show are the Jax-based grunge/shoegaze band Siichaq. Show schedule: Doors open 6 p.m., Siichaq 7 p.m., Being Dead 8 p.m., Shannon & The Clams 9 p.m. Tickets are priced from $25 to $80 and are available at jaxmusic.org.
- May 2 — Ghostfunk Orchestra: The brainchild of composer and multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum, New York-based Ghostfunk Orchestra combines psych rock, jazz and funk elements into a powerhouse live sound. Ghostfunk’s latest album, 2024’s “A Trip to the Moon,” increased the group’s profile, and their reputation as a can’t-miss live band has landed them on the stages of legendary festivals such as Telluride Jazz, Treefort, Montreal Jazz and Levitation. Ghostfunk Orchestra is recommended if you like soul-infused rock from bands like Black Pumas, Durand Jones & the Indicators and Say She She. Opening the show is Jax-based hip-hop artist Kale That Raps. Additional local support will be announced. Show schedule: Doors open 6 p.m., (TBA) 7 p.m., Kale That Raps 8 p.m., Ghostfunk Orchestra 9 p.m. Tickets are priced from $25 to $80 and are available at jaxmusic.org.
As part of JME’s mission to build community through music discovery and introduce audiences to artists from around the world — including those making music in the Jacksonville area — ticket prices for each show will be significantly less than market value. Ticket buyers can also purchase tickets for the entire series at a discounted rate.
Concerts are held at WJCT Studios, 100 Festival Park Ave., Jacksonville. Each community-focused event will feature a local vendor market, food trucks and more.
“The JME team is constantly scoping out new music under the radar and going out into the community to connect with bands and listeners alike,” said Matt Shaw, Arts & Culture Editor at WJCT Public Media. “Through this series, we’re able to bring together musicians from around the globe with listeners and artists from our community to WJCT’s very own Soundstage. Not only do we want the audience to have a unique concert experience, but we want to foster a supportive space for musicians throughout Northeast Florida to showcase their talent as well.”
