Submitted Photo “Echo In The Canyon” will be screened on Saturday, July 13, and Tuesday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m.

The next feature film in the Opera House Cinema Series is the documentary, “Echo in the Canyon.” It will provide a bit of American musical history as part of Fredonia History Days and will be screened on Saturday, July 13, and Tuesday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m.

“Echo In The Canyon” celebrates the explosion of popular music that came out of LA’s Laurel Canyon in the mid-60s as folk went electric and The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas and the Papas gave birth to the California Sound.  It was a moment (1965 to 1967) when bands came to LA to emulate The Beatles; and Laurel Canyon emerged as a hotbed of creativity and collaboration for a new generation of musicians who would soon put an indelible stamp on the history of American popular music.

Featuring Jakob Dylan, the film explores the beginnings of the Laurel Canyon music scene.  Dylan uncovers never-before-heard personal details behind the bands and their songs and how that music continues to inspire today.  “Echo in the Canyon” contains candid conversations and performances with Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Michelle Phillips, Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Roger McGuinn and Jackson Browne as well as contemporary musicians they influenced such as Tom Petty (in his very last film interview), Beck, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Regina Spektor and Norah Jones.

Kiko Martinez, in the San Antonio Current, calls the film “a must-see (and must-hear) rockumentary, especially for those who consider the music of the ’60s part of their own life’s soundtrack.” Tom Santilli, in Movie Show Plus, calls it “a great trip down memory lane, and a rockin’ exploration of the folk rock explosion.” Niall Browne, in Good Times Santa Cruz, calls it “wonderfully textured look at a very special time in music history.” Andy Howell, in Film Threat, says “I have a feeling ‘Echo in the Canyon’ will be watched for decades into the future as the essential document of a very specific time and place that changed music forever.” Rated PG-13 (for drug references and some suggestive content), “Echo in the Canyon” runs one hour, 22 minutes.

The Opera House Cinema Series is sponsored by Lake Shore Savings Bank. Tickets are available at the door for $7 (adults), $6.50 (seniors & Opera House members) and $5 (students) the night of each screening. A book of 10 movie passes is available for $60 at the door or online at www.fredopera.org. For more information, call the Opera House Box Office at 679-1891.

The Opera House is equipped with individualized closed captioning headsets for the deaf as well as with assistive listening headsets for the hearing-impaired. Simply request one from any usher or Opera House staff member.