CLAPTRAP: A Film About Kingswood, Sweat, and the Stuff You Don’t See
CLAPTRAP isn’t just about a band… it’s about burnout, brotherhood, and the strange beauty of life on the road. Kingswood’s 112-show marathon tour becomes a chaotic, charming documentary that pulls back the curtain on what really happens between gigs.
What happens when one of Australia’s hardest-touring bands packs a van, loads the amps, and takes on 112 shows across six relentless months?
CLAPTRAP happens.
This isn’t just a tour doc. It’s an intimate, chaotic, and occasionally bonkers look at what it means to live inside a band, told from the inside out. Directed by 23-year-old Darcy Newton and produced by Luca Catalano, CLAPTRAP captures KINGSWOOD during their Hometowns Tour, a record-breaking run that brought them face-to-face with over 60,000 fans, from the smallest country towns to packed capital city venues.
It’s raw. It’s charming. And it doesn’t flinch.
“The documentary process was unusual and fantastical. The most compelling aspect was being aware of, and willfully subjecting to the experience of one’s life being documented in the pursuit of artistic expression.” says songwriter/guitarist Alexander Laska.
Shot with a filmmaker’s eye and a fan’s heart, CLAPTRAP doesn’t polish the edges. It leans in. You’ll see the band eat, argue, laugh, drive, sleep, and, of course, tear up every stage they land on. Newton calls it a “helter-skelter ob-doc,” and that about nails it.
““It was surprising how quickly and easily I was able to live as if there wasn’t a camera in my face all day. Credit to Darc and his ability to shoot surreptitiously, and to gain our trust. This enabled him to shoot more real life moments providing the depth and intimacy you experience in the film.”
The film premieres at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre and rolls across the East Coast in April, with more cities TBA. The band will be in the room at select screenings, ready to talk, answer questions, and probably crack a few beers with fans.
🎟️ Tickets are already up for grabs. Here’s where you can catch it:
CLAPTRAP AUSTRALIAN SCREENINGS
KINGSWOOD in attendance at starred sessions
- April 4 – Astor Theatre, Melbourne ⭐
- April 5 – Thornbury Picture House, Melbourne ⭐
- April 6 – Pivotonian Cinema, Geelong
- April 9 – Regal Theatre, Adelaide
- April 9 – Palace Byron Bay ⭐
- April 10 – New Farm Cinemas, Brisbane ⭐
- April 11 – The Ritz, Sydney ⭐
🎟️ Hit up your local venue’s site for tickets or head to Ritz Cinemas for Q&A session details and booking.
🎞️ Watch the Claptrap Movie Trailer
For more flicks and cinema with musical acts and performers, check out Studio 666 | Creation Stories | Metal Lords or for something similar but fictional Uncle Peckerhead goes alright.
