Tor.com Short Fiction January–February 2021 by Richard Kadrey

After seeing Sly, he and his friends, “weren’t suit-and-tie guys anymore.” When you see Sly and the band perform, you can easily understand why. Beforehand, he and his friends were more influenced by Smokey Robinson and the The Miracles, getting suited up when they would go out on the town. The story that gave me the widest smile was that of one man talking about seeing Sly and the Family Stone in person for the first time at this concert. The movie is as full of outstanding music as you should expect, but the stories of the performers, organizers and attendees elevate it that much higher, even when they aren’t anything extraordinary. Of course, at least 90% of the good vibes I felt while watching it was a product of the film itself. I caught Summer of Soul with my significant other and it was the first time I’ve ever been “alone” (save for my partner, obviously) in a theater to see a film, and it was a fantastic experience. Hell, especially when the the theater is sparsely populated. I like the big screen, myself, even when there aren’t many other people in the theater. And if that’s your preference, it should go without saying that there’s nothing wrong with that.

They might even be willing to pay extra to bring the movie straight to the comfort of their living room or bedroom (or home theater, if they have it like that). The pandemic has seemingly made many people realize that they in fact don’t like going out to the movies. Kicking things off with a decidedly non-horror favorite before we dive deep into world of frights.

Tor.com Short Fiction January–February 2021 by Richard Kadrey