Throughout the 1980s, bands like D.O.A. helped define the decade’s deafening hardcore punk sound, paving the way for the eventual explosion of punk groups through radio and MTV in the decades to come. While punk rock’s upper echelon may no longer be as culturally seditious as they once were,  the genre’s effect on a new generation of activists and aspiring politicians has never been more clear.

In 2018, after 40 years of fighting against oppression, homelessness and corporate greed in the U.S. and in his native Canada, D.O.A. frontman, activist and cultural politician Joey Keithley decided to turn art into life and run against the outspoken Mayor of Burnaby (population: 250,000), Derek Corrigan. Against all odds—and with only a $7000 campaign budget—Keithley won a city councillor seat in Burnaby, BC that year and helped to unseat the entrenched five-term Corrigan who once famously said, “I would never bend over to give a homeless person a dime because he might steal my watch.”

Will Keithley’s message and DIY approach to campaigning resonate with voters in the upcoming Burnaby election of 2022? Win or lose, we will document him every step of the way as he campaigns for a second term. This is a film that will explore how music and activism continue to interlink, with music often serving as an introduction to social issues that inspire people to get involved and foster dynamic change.

Joey Keithley himself will be in attendance for a live Q&A!

Saturday, May 24
Doors 2:15  | Movie 2:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Tickets HERE

SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE (Scott Crawford, 2024 / 88 mins / NR) Joey Keithley of DOA, Canada’s most iconic punk, is now an underdog, against all odds elected politician in Vancouver, Burnaby, BC. This story documents his  40+ year career as an activist and musician and his journey as he runs for a nail-biting second term re-election.

*Must be 18+ for entry. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*Sorry, Rio Theatre Groupons and passes n/a for this event.
*We recommend purchasing your tickets in advance at www.riotheatretickets.ca. If a screening or live event is not sold out, the remaining tickets will be available for in-person purchase at the Rio Theatre’s Box Office prior to showtime (subject to availability). Our box office is typically open 30 minutes before showtime.
*Please arrive 15-30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure time to locate great seats, and time for treats at concession.

*All Rio Theatre tickets are final sale. No refunds or exchanges.