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Three stars out of four
Dave Grohl's directorial debut "Sound City" is a music-lover's dream, with a fascinating look at the late studio that was the place where many of rock history's greatest albums were recorded, including Nirvana's "Nevermind," Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours," and Rage Against the Machine's still incendiary self-titled debut. In addition, Grohl is able to weave another thread into the film: a philosophical exploration of not just the debate between analog purists and digital pioneers but also a celebration of people making music together, rather than people creating music on computers. At times, Grohl relies too much on telling rather than showing, and for the average person might be overwhelmed with too much "inside-baseball" information. But overall, this is an entertaining, thoughtful documentary that shows that among Grohl's greatest gifts is being a story-teller — something he has done as a musician for more than two decades. Also important: make sure this film gets played LOUD.— David BurgerSound City"Documentary PremieresJan. 19, 6 p.m. » Sundance Resort Screening Room, North Fork, Provo Canyon, Sundance ResortJan. 22, 6 p.m. » Salt Lake City Library Theatre, 210 E. 400 South, Salt Lake CityJan. 24, 11:45 p.m. » Library Center Theatre, 1255 Park Ave., Park CityJan. 27, 6 p.m. » Tower Theatre, 876 E. 900 South, Salt Lake City