The new indie rock-doc “Rebel Beat: The Story of LA Rockabilly“ screens in Hollywood on May 5, Cinco de Mayo, as part of the Silver Lake Film Festival. The 9pm Barnsdall Art Park screening follows the festival’s awards ceremony honoring the music videos of “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. Everyone attending the screening receives a goodie bag and the chance to win the “Rebel Beat Rockin’ Prize Box” of DVDs and CDs from LA’s underground rockabilly community. A prescreening party will be held May 1 at the monthly Ronnie Mack Barn Dance at El Cid on Sunset Boulevard.

“Rebel Beat: The Story of LA Rockabilly” is the first film to tell the history of LA’s original underground music scene, a story that starts in the 50s in LA’s cowboy dance halls and endures through to today’s mexi-billy rockers. “Rebel Beat” is a campy chronicle of a scene that never seems to make it to the radar of Hollywood’s mainstream entertainment press and always seems on the brink of extinction, yet still reincarnates decade after decade. In the 70s LA native’s Ray Campi’s slappin’ bass swept Europe and the LA punk scene. In the 80s and 90s the excellent music of LA vets Big Sandy and Dave Gonzales kept the scene going. And most recently, the Latino fans who make up the majority of the young clubbers revived the scene once again, embracing rockabilly’s car culture, gritty old school rockers and sexy retro Latin fashions.

“Rebel Beat” taps the rootsy vibe of this cousin to the more mainstream “psychobilly” with whose musical stars are so obscure Elvis is barely mentioned. “Rebel Beat” finds LA Rockabilly’s soul at car shows, swap meets, barbecues, barrio cafes and juke joints “far from the Sunset Strip” before pulling up to the West Coast’s biggest annual rockabilly party, Viva Las Vegas.

“Rebel Beat” features interviews with 40 musicians, promoters, DJs, car customizers and dancers, cuts from 15 tracks of LA rockabilly music, performance footage, archival photos, campy vintage clips and the photography of SoCal pinup model Bernie Dexter (wife of rocker Levi Dexter).

Featured cast includes 50s cowboy rockers Glen Glenn (whose “Everybody’s Moving” has been covered by rock legends Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Dylan) and Ray Campi (an international rockabilly star), promoter Rockin’ Ronny Weiser of Rollin’ Rock Records (whose Charlie Feathers track “That Certain Female” was featured by Rollin’ Rock fan Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill), LA legends Big Sandy and Dave Gonzales, and young barrio-billy musicians The Moonlight Cruisers, Omar Romero, Lil Luis and the Vargas Brothers. Also interviewed are original rockers Janis Martin and Tony Conn, X drummer DJ Bonebrake, jazz guitarist Skip Heller and Elvis Suissa of the Three Bad Jacks.

“Rebel Beat” was independently produced and financed by the filmmaker and was released in early 2006 on DVD by Redeye and the filmmaker. The DVD includes collector cards and coupons for rockabilly gear with bonus footage including a 1970’s Ray Campi music video and a vintage version of the Mexican Hat Dance. The DVD is currently available at Amoeba, Hot Topic and online at Rebelbeat.com, Amazon and many rockabilly sites and will be on sale at the screening.

“Rebel Beat” was produced and directed by Betty B., contributing editor to the International Documentary Association’s “Documentary” magazine. Betty also writes about travel and film for various outlets including Fine Living. This is Betty’s first film.