Cinémathèque

Cinémathèque was formed in Roanoke, Virginia in 2011. Since its founding, the goal of the band has been to provide an outlet for producing and performing a wide array of cinematic music. Niche genres, especially surf rock, exotica, spaghetti westerns, afrobeat, and Ethiopian jazz, serve as the band’s main influences.

In its early years, the live sound featured spring-verbed guitar leads shadowed by eerie organs reminiscent of Italian and French thriller and horror films of the 1960s and 70’s. These cinematic roots culminated in the production of recordings for small scores, short films, and commercials.

By 2018, a renewed focus on live performances with an expanded brass heavy lineup led to a remarkable reincarnation that highlighted the strength of the band’s repertoire as dance music. The current band consists of musicians from rock, jazz, latin, and classical backgrounds. This diversity enables powerful solo and arrangement opportunities in live settings. Cinémathèque has played festivals and special events including FloydFest 2024, GO Fest 2024, Levitt AMP Music Series 2023 in Harrisonburg, Crozet Winter Brews Festival, Charlottesville Arts Festival, Steppin' Out, Forkapalooza, Deschutes KirkFest, etc. The band has also played prestigious and unique venues such as Taubman Museum of Art and The Virginia Transportation Museum.