'Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake' documentary to be featured at CineVegas film festival

Man! I need to get me to Vegas. Not only can I watch the lizards in Circus Circus and maybe get someone to drop the melon in the bath with me when White Rabbit peaks, but I can also get over to The CineVegas film festival.

The film festival has announced it's line-up and one of the main films is an intriguing documentary on Sonic Youth, called "Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake." Produced by non-profit filmmaking patrons Project Moonshine, the twist with this digi-vid doc was that it was shot entirely by seven high school students and featuring interviews, backstage footage, and 10 songs that were filmed live in Reno, Nevada on back in July 2006. The other films stink of rock 'n' roll too...

Other films included in the fest will be Abel Ferrera's reprobate stripper tribute, "Go Go Tales" and his documentary 'bout the infamous New York hotel, "Hotel Chelsea, Chelsea on the Rocks." Also featured is Alex Gibney's doc, "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson," arrested development artists doc, "Beautiful Losers"(which features a score by Beastie Boy keysman Money Mark). If you're over in Vegas, you can also see Rainn Wilson as the failed drummer in "The Rocker" and Clark Gregg's "Choke" which features some Radiohead and other indie artists on the film's soundtrack.

CineVegas runs from June 12th to the 21st at the Palms Casino. Ferrera's 'Hotel Chelsea' looks at the notorious hotel that has a big relationship with rock 'n' roll... tales that include Nancy Spungen's death at the hands of Sid Vicious and legends that involve Nico, Leonard Cohen, andmoreagain) and features interviews with "residents past and present" like director Milos Forman, Ethan Hawke, Dennis Hopper and subversive comic artist R. Crumb, plus vintage music, archival footage and re-enactments of famous Chelsea episodes (Nancy Spungen and Sid Vicious, Janis Joplin). Ferrera is a debauched muvva, so he's probably the best man for a grimy telling of a grimy tale or two.