The long-in-the-works documentary on Long Island emo/post-hardcore band On The Might of Princes is finally seeing the light of day, or the darkness of a movie theater. A September 28th screening has been announced at Nitehawk in Williamsburg. The film was co-directed by OTMOP drummer Chris Enriquez, and Mario Quintero, whose band Spotlights Chris currently drums in. Mario, Chris, and OTMOP members Nicole Childrey, Lou Fontana and Tommy Orza will all be there for a Q&A after the screening. Tickets are on sale.
The screening is one night before the band reunites to play shows in Brooklyn and Long Island with Rachel Rubino (of Open City and Bridge and Tunnel) on guest lead vocals. OTMOP lead vocalist Jason Rosenthal passed away 10 years ago this week.
Flyers for all three events, and the full official film description, below:
THE FILM SYNOPSIS:
On the Might of Princes formed on Long Island, New York in 1997, emerging from an heterogeneous but cooperative community of independent bands and labels. First releasing material on Rok Lok (“The Making of a Conversation”) and Creep Records/Traffic Violation Records (“Where You Are and Where You Want to Be”). They eventually signed to the legendary hardcore punk label Revelation Records and released what would be their third and final record, “Sirens,” in 2003.
After a follow-up tour of Europe, On the Might of Princes disbanded in May 2004. During the band’s initial existence, they performed with a laundry list of successful bands that opened for them at the time such as Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday and Brand New. Other bands they shared stages with included Fallout Boy, the Movielife, Piebald and Rainer Maria. Many artists who grew up listening to the band went on to play in bands like Caspian, Incendiary, Iron Chic and more!
After a two-year split, they reunited in late 2006 to play three sold out shows in Long Island, Brooklyn, and Connecticut. Soon afterward, expanded re-releases of their first two albums were released on Rok Lok Records. In August 2008, they temporarily reunited once again for a few more shows. In 2012, Revelation Records announced that the group would reunite yet again for the label’s 25th anniversary festival at New York’s iconic Irving Plaza with Texas is the Reason and Underdog, followed by two sold out nights at Brooklyn’s premiere rock club, Saint Vitus Bar. A fourth reunion was planned for June 2013 to headline a music festival in Long Island but was cancelled for undisclosed reasons. Soon after, the band formally declared that there would be no more shows or new material and they had officially broken up. Jason Rosenthal passed away in Austin, Texas of a heart attack on August 12, 2013. He was 35.
Drummer Chris Enriquez has enlisted video editor and current Spotlights bandmate Mario Quintero to co-direct and co-produce this full-length documentary to tell the band’s full story and history and to honor the legacy of fallen bandmate Jason Rosenthal. The film comes out the same year as the 20-year anniversary of the bands final full-length album “Sirens” and 10 years after Jason Rosenthal’s passing.
