Radio Soulwax is cool. The Belgian quartet had constantly blurred the lines between the DJ sets and live rock shows with its numerous different incarnations. They took the electronic concert experience to new heights, all while reinforcing their reputation as transcendent and, yes, incomparably cool act. However, releasing a 69-minute celluloid testament to one’s own coolness is not only unnecessary, but can serve to detract from that very coolness.

Part of the Weekend Never Dies, their documentary that chronicles their genesis, their travels, and mostly, of course, their successes, reeks of self-importance and self-indulgence: the purpose of the film seems to be to give themselves a filmic pat on the back instead of creating an engaging piece of art. Footage of fellow musicians (Klaxons, Peaches, Justice) and fans heaping praise onto Radio Soulwax abounds, as well as interviews with the band themselves that don’t really reveal any sort of information that wouldn’t be available on Wikipedia.

The film doesn’t quite offer any insights into the apparent phenomenon that is Soulwax or really any material that would be compelling to anyone aside from those that were already compelled with its subject matter in the first place. It is a slice of touring life, which the film proves is not a life interesting enough to hold viewers’ attention for its hour-plus-long running time. There is no apparent narrative thread that runs through the movie, just a disjointed series of self-aggrandizing clips and admittedly inspiring live performance footage. The concert clips interspersed throughout the film accurately capture the remarkable energy of Soulwax shows: one gets a sense of the genuine fervor and hype of all participants. Perhaps next time, Radio Soulwax should consider releasing a straightforward concert DVD as evidence of its coolness. After all, the most important rule of filmmaking is to show, not tell.

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