Filmmaker's Lost Tapes Reveal 90s Music Scene

Filmmaker Tamra Davis recently premiered 'The Best Summer' at Sundance, a documentary pieced together from tapes she shot during Australia's inaugural 1995 Summersault music festival. She discovered the footage, which had been stored away for three decades, while evacuating her Los Angeles home during recent fires. The tapes contain candid backstage interviews and early performances from bands such as Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Pavement, and Beck. Kathleen Hanna also features prominently, conducting informal interviews.

Davis, who initially set out to document her husband Mike D of the Beastie Boys' tour, found herself capturing a broader snapshot of the 90s alternative music scene. She was inspired to finally sort through the tapes after seeing how much early Foo Fighters footage she had. The film includes candid interactions, like asking Beck about his favorite color, and shows the chemistry between Kathleen Hanna and Adam Horovitz.