D Tour (2008)

Evan Farrell, Benjamin Gibbard, Daniel Handler, Graham Lebron, Ryan Miller

Pat Spurgeon is the drummer and keyboardist with the acclaimed indie rock band Rogue Wave. While Rogue Wave aren't in danger of becoming major stars anytime soon, the group has a loyal and growing fan... read more  base, the respect of their peers and a stack of enthusiastic reviews attesting to the strength of their work. But Spurgeon has one other thing that sets him apart from most other hard-working musicians -- kidney disease. Spurgeon has been living with his condition since he was a child, and has only one kidney that's beginning to fail; he's on a waiting list for a transplant, but a donor isn't expected to become available for six years. In the meantime, Spurgeon has learned how to use a portable dialysis kit, but it requires the sort of clean conditions that aren't easy to find for a small-label band touring on a budget. But music is Spurgeon's greatest passion in life, and as Rogue Wave's music begins to reach a wider audience, he's determined to keep up with their busy schedule, even as his bandmates worry about how the rigors of the road will impact his diet and health regimen. Filmmaker Jim Granato follows Spurgeon and Rogue Wave as they make music and make the best of Pat's heath issues in the documentary D Tour (not to be confused with a similarly titled film on Tenacious D). The film was an official selection at the 2009 San Francisco International Film Festival (a stone's throw from the band's hometown of Oakland) and won the festival's Golden Gate Award for Best Bay Area Documentary. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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