Apr 3
Sherlock Jr.— Sound and story: Wilco bassist John Stirratt on music and the imagination
Program Description
Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. with R.E.M.’s Monster and New Adventures in Hi Fi – A Silents Synced Film
For the 2025 Science on Screen series, The Gem is partnering with BAAM for five S.T.E.A.M. events centered around the senses: Taste, Smell, Sound, Sight, and Touch.
Our second event in the series will be centered on sound as we welcome Wilco Bassist John Stirratt to The Gem. Wade Kavanaugh, co-owner of The Gem, will engage John in a conversation on sound and the imagination. Imagination is an important quality when listening to music. It allows us to perceive and interpret music. Music can also evoke memories and take us back to the sights, smells, and feelings associated with a particular experience. Sound familiar?
Film Synopsis
A film projectionist who longs to be a detective puts his meagre sleuthing skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch.
In this silent 1924 comedy classic, Buster Keaton plays a kindly movie projectionist who longs to be a detective. When his fiancée is robbed by a local thief, the poor projectionist is framed for the crime. Using his amateur detective skills, the projectionist follows the thief to the train station—only to find himself locked in a train car. Disheartened, he returns to his movie theater, where he falls asleep and dreams that he is the great Sherlock Holmes. While he is sleeping, his fiancée does her own detective work.
About the Speaker
John Stirratt is the bassist and a founding member of Wilco, the only original member besides Jeff Tweedy to remain with the band since its inception. Before Wilco, he played in the final lineup of Uncle Tupelo, the band that helped define alt-country. Outside of Wilco, he and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone co-founded The Autumn Defense, known for its lush, 70s-inspired sound. John and his wife, Chrissy, live in Midcoast Maine, where they host live events at Otyokwa, a former summer camp, during the summer months.
John Stirratt recently toured with actor and musician Michael Shannon, covering R.E.M.'s album Fables of Reconstruction in its entirety. The project featured a full band, including Jason Narducy (of Bob Mould’s band and Superchunk), drummer Jon Wurster (also of Superchunk and The Mountain Goats), and guitarist Kevin McMahon. The tour was a tribute to R.E.M.'s early work, with Shannon—who is a longtime fan—handling lead vocals.