Pomp Room documentary to premiere at Cinema Falls

A long-awaited feature-length documentary about the iconic Pomp Room will premier in July as part of Cinema Falls.

Written, produced and directed by South Dakota filmmakers Austin Kaus and Jesse Yost, it tells the story of the longtime Sioux Falls live music venue and bar.

“The Pomp Room: A Rock N Roll Bar Story” will be shown July 30 at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Sioux Falls.

According to Cinema Falls, the film is a tribute to the storied history of the venue, the family who preserved and fought for it, the bands and surprise celebrities who performed on its stage, and the friendships and lifelong bonds formed across generations of musicians, employees and concert-goers. The film is unrated with a suggested audience of those 16 and older.

“After years of conducting interviews, collecting memorabilia and working with an amazing team of creatives, we are ready to share The Pomp Room’s story with the world,” said Kaus of Rapid City.

“This movie honors so much: the Ertz family, the music scene that left a lasting impression on multiple generations and the power of song and community. It’s a story with unique characters and some light profanity, just like a real family.”

Austin Kaus

Kaus and Yost collaborated through the pandemic on the project, sandwiching it between earning a postgraduate degree and their day jobs.

“This project was a labor of love to pay tribute to the Ertz family and The Pomp Room,” said Yost of Sioux Falls.

“Without that family, none of this happens. It just doesn’t. From their willingness to take risks to the way they treated their customers, they were the foundation of what helped make the place special.”

More than 50 years ago, two cattle ranchers from Fairfax in south-central South Dakota purchased The Pomp Room from a former police officer.

“No one – Duane and Jeannie Ertz, their sons Jon and Ward, or the entire Sioux Falls Police Department – could have possibly imagined what would follow,” the film’s promotional material says.

“Hundreds of interviews have been conducted. Boxes and suitcases of memorabilia have been collected. Stories have been told, and tears have been shed. Now, the film is a reality.”

Tickets can be purchased at SiouxFallsOrpheum.com, and all seating is reserved. The lobby bar opens at 5 p.m., the theater opens at 5:30 p.m. and the show begins at 6 p.m.

“We’re grateful for the film partners supporting this event, many of whom rocked out at The Pomp Room and are now business owners and leaders in our community,” said Cinema Falls founder Julie Anderson Friesen. “Austin and Jesse have never wavered in their determination to complete this film and celebrate it with the right amount of romp and ‘Pomp’ for nostalgic fans. I’m grateful to have been invited to produce this event.”

A separately ticketed “After Pomp Party” at the El Riad Shrine will follow the film premiere and feature live performances from 12 1⁄2 Charlies opening for The Cartwright Brothers. That will be for ages 21 and older and require a separate $15 ticket.