Alexandra Dahlström

Åmål is a small insignificant town where nothing ever happens, where the latest trends are out of date when they get there. Young Elin has a bit of a bad reputation when it comes to guys, but the fact is that she is inexperienced in that matter. Another girl in her school, Agnes, is in love with her but is too shy to do anything about it.

This 47-minute piece of video vérité captures an iconic band and front woman on the rise playing in their natural habitat: New York’s legendary CBGB. Director Rod Swenson was on hand one sweaty night in 1977 to document Blondie ripping through a good part of their debut album while also throwing in some incredible covers from The Yardbirds, The Runaways and Freddy Cannon. The video is lifted and digitised right off the original videotapes, retaining a grit that makes the viewer feel like they were actually there that night as Blondie and punk rock was in the midst of firming its grip on the city. Highlights include In The Sun, Man Overboard, A Shark In Jets Clothing, In The Flesh, X Offender, Rip Her To Shreds, I Love Playing With Fire and a special rehearsal clip of Denis.