Paste Rock 'n' Reel 2005

photos by Spark St. Jude

(pictured above [clockwise from top left]: the Rock 'n' Reel main-stage crowd; Victoria Williams; Brandi Carlile; Anathallo's Matt Joynt; Buddy Miller; Mike and Matt Chapman with Homestar Runner and Strong Bad; Low's Alan Sparhawk. Photos by Spark St. Jude.)

With 30 musical artists and more than 12 hours of short film, plus screenings of two features—the Oscar-nominated Born Into Brothels and High And Dry: Where The Desert Meets Rock’n’Roll, a theatrical production, exhibits and more, the question of where to spend one's time was a vexing one at Paste’s inaugural Rock ’n’ Reel Fest.

Over two days, people split time between three screening rooms and two stages, catching such musical moments as the debut of Low’s new lineup (with bassist Matt Livingston replacing Zak Sally), Victoria Williams and Mark Olson’s first show together in over a year (with Howe Gelb and Buddy Miller moonlighting on piano and guitar, respectively) and such up-and-comers as Anathallo and Modern Skirts. The Homestar Runner screening/Q&A with Matt and Mike Chapman was a highlight for many, particularly for Paste staff when we realized our offices were only a mile apart in beautiful Decatur, Ga. As Homestar Runner might say, “Everybody! Everybody!”