I couldn’t make it to the premiere of “Life on the Other Side of the Planet,” Vinny Straggas’s new documentary on Boston’s incredible punk-rock scene in the ‘70s and ‘80s. But a HB reader made it to a show and here’s his review:

“We’re so fortunate that Vinny Straggas captured how much vitality we had in the Boston music scene between 1975-1985… so many different bands that were inspired by others, and each other, and yet created their own sound, many incredibly catchy songs that could’ve been hits (or Nuggets) in an earlier era. All in all, the music was SO great, there were SO many clubs and bands played SO many gigs… just incredible.

“Aside from the incredible footage of the time – and I wish there was more of that, even complete songs – it’s the people and their memories. Having new footage of the late Rat owner Jim Harold remembering… the Indestructible Willie Alexander… David Minihan… plus some groups I did not recall like The Bristols.    

“At least one reviewer (I think it was Boston Groupie News) commented on the footage of Boston during this time. That was powerful for those us there at the time… Boston cleaned up good from the grimy 70s, although a certain character was lost too. The only segment here that felt disconnected/gratitous – the Blizzard of 78. Wasn’t really connected to everything else in the picture.

“My other observation on the interviews and not to nit-pick: many of them seemed to end in similar way, along the lines of ‘there’s never been another time like this.’ Maybe it’s the point that everyone looks back on the time that way.

“It’s a great rock and roll documentary.  And it was fantastic to see it with a live opening act, the Indestructible Nervous Eaters!”