Last weekend, Saturday September 21st, Vannen was thrilled to co-host a triple-screening of FILMAGE: The Story of Descendents/ALL for its first showing in San Diego. Along with Hi My Name Is Mark (Mark Hoppus of Blink-182), we showed nearly a thousand fans this incredible film about two of the most influential pop punk bands in the world.
Fans flew in from around the world to see the film, catch Blink-182 playing the night before, and get the chance to talk to the filmmakers and Mark Hoppus about the film, the bands, and how this music has impacted their lives.
Mike Halloran from 91X FM moderated Q&A sessions after each screening, with Mark Hoppus in attendance for the first two and sticking around to introduce the third. Fans got a chance to hear the filmmakers talk about everything Descendents/ALL, from the making of the film to what it was like to tackle such a huge project.
Mark Hoppus reminisced about discovering the band when a girlfriend gave him a tape and told him "Here…if you like the Cure, you'll love the Descendents", and what it was like for Blink-182 to open for them in 1996. "It blew my mind", he said, adding that it was "up there with getting animated on the Simpsons." According to Mark, the Descendents have been a huge part of Blink-182; they inspired their hit song "Carousel", and it was a mutual love for the band that helped Mark, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker really click together, musically, and helped keep them on the same creative page for all these years. It was fantastic to hear such an accomplished musician talk about the band that inspired his music and his success, and a rare treat for fans to hear him speak candidly in such an intimate venue.
It was a great event, and Vannen would like to thank Hi My Name Is Mark for co-sponsoring the screenings, the FILMAGE crew for coming out and letting us screen the movie, Mike Halloran and Mark Hoppus for taking the time to participate, and especially to all the fans for coming out to these screenings and supporting us!
And for everyone who couldn't make it, there are a handful of the super-limited HMNIM x DESCENDENTS x FILMAGE t-shirts still available at HiMyNameIsMark.com, as well as a few of the Descendents "Coffee Time" watches available at VannenWatches.com. Thanks for your support!
Here are a few more pics from the event:
PLEASE SHARE & REPOST! I am reaching out to you today with a heavy heart to share the news that our dear friend and beloved artist, Brian Ewing, has been diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. Brian has been hospitalized since early March and is fighting for his life. He has brought so much joy and inspiration through his art, and now he needs our support.