Peven Everett documentary to screen at London’s Barbican after his cancer treatment
Peven Everett: Voice of a Generation is scheduled for a 30 October screening and discussion with Everett and director Denholm Hewlett.
Peven Everett is the subject of a new documentary about his life and music, The Guardian reported on 28 October. The Barbican has scheduled Peven Everett: Voice of a Generation for 30 October at its Cinema 1 in London, followed by a discussion with Everett and director Denholm Hewlett. The screening gives audiences a chance to see the film and hear from its subject after Everett’s reported completion of cancer treatment.
What the Peven Everett documentary covers
The Barbican describes the film as tracing Everett’s path from child jazz prodigy through his work in soul, house and dance music. It says the documentary combines interviews, archival material and live performances. Its listing names Damon Albarn, Yasiin Bey, Gorillaz, Karriem Riggins, DJ Rashida, Marc Cary, The Twilite Tone, Moodymann and Bootie Brown among those featured.
The venue identifies Hewlett as director and lists the UK film’s runtime as one hour and 40 minutes. The 30 October screening is scheduled for 20:20 at the Barbican Centre on Silk Street. Hewlett and Everett are due to take part in a ScreenTalk afterward. The venue also warns that the film contains flashing lights.
Everett’s music and return to performance
In Kate Hutchinson’s Guardian interview, Everett said he had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer two years earlier. The Guardian reported that he had completed treatment. Speaking about his time away from music, Everett said, ‘A part of me feels like I let the people down by getting sick.’ His account places the documentary’s look at his career alongside a recent interruption to it.
The Guardian reported that Everett co-created Gabriel with producer Roy Davis Jr. Its Live Garage Mix found an audience in UK clubs, where its swung drums suited the emerging garage sound. Everett performed the track at August’s We Out Here festival in Dorset, according to the interview. He described his performances as often improvised, without fixed setlists: ‘I’m kneading the audience into position, like a baker.’
At the time of the interview, Everett was preparing to join Gorillaz for the Chicago stop of their world tour, The Guardian reported. He said it would be his first time on stage with the group since 2022. Everett contributed to Gorillaz’s 2017 album Humanz; the Barbican also lists the group among those featured in the documentary.
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Sources and context
- ‘I knead the audience, like a baker!’ House music legend Peven Everett on life after cancer and vanquishing the ‘Disco Sucks’ movementThe Guardian; original interview and reporting by Kate Hutchinson
- Peven Everett: Voice of a Generation + ScreenTalk with director Denholm Hewlett and Peven EverettBarbican
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.