With a deep obsession for music and passion to pay tribute to the storied history of a Sioux Falls bar and live music venue, Wessington Springs native Austin Kaus and fellow filmmaker Jesse Yost set out to tell a uniquely South Dakota story in their recently-released documentary, “The Pomp Room: A Rock N Roll Bar Story.”
“To have a venue like this in Sioux Falls was unprecedented — The Pomp Room was just next level,” Kaus explained. “The film is a tribute to the family who preserved and fought for it, the bands and surprise celebrities who performed on its stage and the friendships and lifelong bonds formed across generations of musicians, employees, and concertgoers.”
The documentary premiered at a packed, sold-out showing Saturday, July 30, at the Historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“The movie started and it felt like a midnight movie. People would see a band they loved, a person they loved and start cheering like crazy. It was wonderful,” Kaus recalled of the sold-out premiere. “So many tough guys with tears in their eyes is about the best compliment you could get.”
Future screenings across South Dakota and at film festivals across the country are in the works, including a Wessington Springs showing slated for November 25, 7 p.m. at the Historic 1905 Opera House.
“I’m pretty excited to bring this rock and roll movie to my hometown,” Kaus shared. 'Anyone who loves rock and roll, loves bars, loves characters like the ones in the movie and like the ones I grew up with in Wessington Springs, will enjoy this film.”
After years of research and interviews, the filmmakers launched a crowdfunding campaign to recoup costs and distribute the film. The fundraising effort proved to be very successful, ending almost $6,000 over the original goal.
“The more we make, the more we can share this across the state and at film festivals. We really want to pay our crew — Jesse and I are not making any money — but we had so much talented help that worked really hard on this, we want to get them paid,” he said. Filmmaker’s love for music started early “I remember being a kid and hearing my mom play “Mrs Robinson” for the first time. Something clicked in my brain and I said, ‘this is magic.’ I’ve been obsessed with music ever since,” Kaus reflected. “People have their own special relationship with music and I like it when music clicks. A lot of music, a lot of genres, click with me.”
Kaus explained that his passion for music led him to seek out opportunities to listen to live music across a wide variety of genres up close and personal — which wasn’t always possible growing up in the small town of Wessington Springs.
“I wrote a lot of fake dentist notes, to get out of school at noon so I could catch the all ages shows at 4 p.m.,” Kaus said. “God bless Judy Crist’s heart — she always went with it.”
Kaus said that any live, underground show always appealed to him.
“But Pomp Room was the weird misfit headquarters. I could never get it out of my head,” Kaus admitted.
Reviews since the documentary’s premiere have been overwhelmingly positive, however Kaus’s father Elton’s review of the film took a different tone.
“My brother told me my father’s review of the show: ‘If I would have known that’s what he was doing I would have grounded his a**.’” Kaus vividly recalls the moment when he and fellow filmmaker Yost decided to begin the journey of creating this documentary.
“Jesse asked me if I wanted to put on a bunny suit and dance like a moron for a Sleigher music video. Which of course I jumped at,” Kaus laughed. “We ate wings after and Jesse started talking about the Pomp Room. Ideas kept coming and we kept crafting and crafting.”
Kaus explained that although it took longer to make than originally anticipated — he lived in three towns during the filming of the movie — he is thrilled with the finished product.
“Things just kept happening, it was weirdly perfect,” Kaus reflected. “How one place can influence generations led to something incredible like what we had at the premiere — all ages, all generations, feeling a deep sense of connection.