Documentary on Numbers in Houston begins to take shape

Rollins Band Rollins Band Photo: Soren McCarty, Soren McCarty/WireImage.com Photo: Soren McCarty, Soren McCarty/WireImage.com Image 1 of / 93 Caption Close Documentary on Numbers in Houston begins to take shape 1 / 93 Back to Gallery

In less than two weeks the team behind a gestating documentary about a legendary Houston dance club will kick off a Kickstarter campaign to finish production.

"Friday I'm In Love" is about Numbers, the Lower Westheimer nightlife haunt and music venue that has seen everyone from Iggy Pop, Pixies, Oasis, The Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, and even drag star Divine grace its stage. On Friday nights you can still see people of all ages dancing to club classics from The Normal, New Order, and the newest hipster cuts on the giant dance floor while sipping Long Island Iced Teas.

Director Marcus Pontello is helming the picture, which already has a Facebook page up and running , posting constant updates on the documentary's progress. He's been at work for two years, recently teaming up with local film company Dinolion.

"We've been filming interviews of customers, bands, and staff and we still have a lot of work ahead of us," Pontello says. "The Kickstarter is our next big goal."

The Kickstarter campaign begins Feb. 2 and the hope is that enough money and interest will be raised to push the film forward.

Pontello estimates that he has roughly a year of filming and production work ahead of him but they are not rushing anything.

"We want to make sure the film feels complete and fully realized. There are a lot of stories and experiences that we still need to capture," he says.

Interviews already in the can include Erasure, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb and Bliss Blood from Houston's The Pain Teens.

"There are so many more bands we would love to interview as we continue filming," he adds.

"We would like to interview all of the classic industrial and electronic acts associated with Numbers such as Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Front 242, Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails, and so on," says Pontello.

There are local acts like The Hunger, The Judy's, and the Mydolls still to capture as well.

The music and archival rights will be a big expense, he says, especially if they decide to use music or concert footage from major bands that have played the venue on their way up the ladder of stardom.

The production has also recorded interviews with local luminaries attached to the club like former Bruce Godwin, promoters Richard Tomcala and Carmina Bell, resident DJ Wes Wallace, general manager Rudi Bunch, and the late Beverly Wren, who was the original owner.

Pontello says they also reached to friends and family of Robert Burtenshaw (aka Robot), the late owner of Numbers who passed away in July 2013.

In terms of the Kickstarter, Pontello and others are still trying to pinpoint a dollar amount needed to finish the documentary.

"We would like to raise more than $50,000 for the film, but how much of that is from Kickstarter we are working out," he says. The crowd-funding campaign will be the production's first attempt at a budget. So far it has been flying without one.

"Our first goal will be a premiere in Houston for the community. We also want to submit the film to festivals, in which the music rights will be a little more affordable," Pontello says.

His first Numbers experience was seeing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the venue as a 15-year-old back in Nov. 2003. Later he went to "Classic Numbers" on a Friday night with some older friends and fell in love with the place.

"I was exposed to music that I had never heard, and a culture I had never experienced. I was wearing a hot pink sequin jacket, platform boots and a lot of metallic eye shadow," Pontello says.

"Needless to say, I was embraced and felt at home."