Several old shows–The Andalusians, The Shirks, The Points–are also archived on the site.

2008.  The international year of planet earth for the moment. Art is dead, and this dead horse sure can run.  So, when the Borf Brigade, a group of dilettantes, trouble-makers, and anti-socialites was asked to write about the past year for the City Paper, we had a good chuckle. In keeping with the usual boredom and posturing of the indoor art industry, we decided to flex our art review jargon and report on the notable… uh, stuff… of this year in "art."

This year saw the end of local stronghold for miscreants and youth, the Bobby Fisher Memorial.  Located just blocks from the former Crispus Attucks Museum and Youth Center, this majestic palace, which had been semi-squatted on a tenuous lease since 2007, was the site of many dingy punk shows, as well as some of the city's finer wall scribbling exhibitions. Powered by generator and wired by extension chords, our Acropolis hosted a single MC battle, the first east coast appearance in five years by legendary slop-punk band The Bananas, the 7 foot signature of Cool Disco Dan, and top of the line non-art-market affiliated "art."

The "Best Graffiti Crew" title goes to the D.P.W. (Department of Public Works). Graffiti is usually thought of as the illegal application of paint or re-facing surfaces without the approval of a property owner. Since the passage of mayor Fenty's aggressive abatement measures in 2007 the D.P.W. has been doing it best.  But only this year did they come into their own and show their true colors, (usually burgundy and grey). Their beautifully hand painted squares on public and private property transcend the conventions of the hastily sprayed nicknames of disempowered youths, leaving us wondering… how do they get away with it?

The best painting of 2008 was realized by local kid, Malorie Something-Something, when she snuck out late one November night with a gallon of flat black latex paint and a cheap brush.  Alone, she painted an entire playground black. When asked about her intentions behind the piece, Malorie said she did it because "flat black is the best color."

Easily, the best political performance piece of the year was executed by the "Big Three" of the auto industry.  Utilizing relics from a time long past, the CEOs arrived in Washington via private luxury jets, a very hip and retro comment on the bourgeois excess of the now archaic age of American capitalism.

Wait, what about when Nick's dog shat on Donald Rumsfeld's lawn?

Yeah, that too.

To finish off the year of the potato, the city sadly decided to close one of our favorite permanent installations, the free distribution of bus transfers.  The bus transfer exhibit was easily the most socially moving exhibit the city had to offer.  It moved us freely to and from all corners of the city.

The Borf Brigade is an arts collective that claimed responsibility for a wave of vandalism in the District and other cities that ended in the arrest of founder John Tsombikos in 2005, as well as a series of video communiques and an art exhibition.  Their gallery space, the Bobby Fisher Memorial Center, closed this year.

All contributors to this series were guests on DISSONANCE, a DC punk oral histories show on Radio CPR. John Tsombikos and the Borf Brigade's interview can be heard here.

There once was an audio format called mp3
Where parts of the digital word were sent off to sea.
The data was minced,
for the song that convinced
us that vinyl more pleasing, you see?

Don Zientara is owner of Inner Ear Studios, and has engineered records for such bands as the Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Rites of Spring, Scream, Nation of Ulysses, Fugazi, Lungfish, Jawbox, the Dismemberment Plan, Q and not U and many others.  He also writes and performs his own music, and has released two solo albums, Sixteen Songs and Clocks & Watches.

All contributors to this series were guests on DISSONANCE, a DC punk oral histories show on Radio CPR. Don Zientara’s interview can be heard here.

photo: LegendsMagazine.net

9. Bill Harris artwork in Fredericksburg

Harris is a painter who does stunning, often subtly dark works in lovely little Fredericksburg. He’s a talented artist who creates beautiful still lifes, yet does some understated, twisted works as well. He’s a master of color and line, and the subject matter often makes you think. He paints a lot of portraits and nudes, sometimes with something melancholy or even brooding about it–like “Invisible Sum,” where a nude woman halfway out of a bear costume stares forlornly into her purse. One wonders what the backstory was for that one. Or “Alone Together,” where a tattooed girl stands singing into a microphone in the middle of a restaurant, with no one paying attention. Some of his stuff can be seen on his Web site: wcharris.com. He’s often in his studio at LibertyTown Arts Workshop. Two big thumbs up. For those not in the know, Fredericksburg boasts an amazing art scene, with a host of artists and galleries doing really cool stuff.

8. Comic book movies

I’m a serious comic book geek, most especially into Marvel titles, but also some DC, from the early days of the Fantastic Four battling the Mole Man to about the ‘90s, when the costs of comics started to skyrocket and the artwork/stories started to suck. (Killing Captain America?! Heinous.) In the New World Order, Marvel and DC have shifted their genius quota to the movie side, and this year’s releases of The Dark Knight and Iron Man were easily deserving of all-time-top-movies status. Everyone’s written about Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight, and he is brilliant in the role, but the whole film is perfectly paced, thoughtful, and disturbing–a tribute to the dark side of the Dark Knight. Christian Bale is equally brilliant as Bruce Wayne. As for Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. simply IS Tony Stark–he nails every nuance of the character perfectly, and the armor is ubercool. They even brought in the Dude as Obadiah Stane–a master stroke.

7. Iron Maiden at Merriweather Post Pavilion

Run to the hills…run for your life. The band that put the heavy into heavy metal destroyed the stage on June 18. If you had a preexisting heart condition, it likely was aggravated at this show–pulsing, pumping, head-banging, fist-clenching metal fury from beginning (complete with Winston Churchill’s famous speech over the loudspeakers: “We will fight them on the beaches…”) to end. One of the toughest bands musically, Maiden played all the thundering hits from each album, complete with full set changes and of course, the band’s mascot, a gigantic Eddie, lurching about onstage. Best song: “The Trooper.” Bruce Dickinson looked and sounded in his prime. I’ve seen Maiden a number of times, including on the famous “Aces High” tour, and this may well have been the best so far. Kick-ass T-shirt selections as well.

6. Van Halen at John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville

This band is just a brilliant pure rock band–still. David Lee Roth is back, thank God. (Though honestly, Sammy Hagar is a great singer too–but it just wasn’t Van Halen without David Lee.) Roth is the ultimate showman, funny and charismatic, and sounded and looked very, very good. Eddie Van Halen’s chiseled abs were enough to make every over-40-something male in the audience suck in their beer gut and wonder how the hell he does it. (Of course, having a private trainer and doing this for a living doesn’t hurt.) As for the playing: Is there anyone who doubts that Eddie Van Halen is one of the best rock guitarists ever? Just stunning how fast he still plays, and how unique his style still is—and how Dave and Eddie bring out the best in each other. They did all the hits, and if you didn’t have a smile on your face the whole time, you didn’t have a heart. I’d see this band every time they play (and hope they do again soon). Everybody wants some.

5. Motorhead, Ram’s Head Live, Baltimore

Motorhead at its best is an unstoppable force of potent destruction. And this show was the band at its best. Lemmy Kilmister has no need for on-stage theatrics—just giant backdrops with the band’s logo and then blam, straight into brutal volume and smash-worthy songs. God gave rock and roll to you, to quote Paul Stanley, and it’s Motorhead that is the proof. “Ace of Spades” and “Iron Fist” remain anthems for all head bangers everywhere. Sheer, honest power.

4. Metal Masters Tour, Nissan Pavilion

Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Motorhead, and Testament–a fist to the face the whole night long. Missed Testament, and Motorhead was not well served by having to play while it was still light out. This legendary, dirty, heavy group is a band made for the darkness. Still, they were Motorhead, and the material pounded the audience into adoring oblivion. Next, Heaven and Hell–that’s Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio singing–was a dynamic band, one that played selections from Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules, and just solid, cohesive metal songs that augur well for their upcoming album. Dio is a phenomenal singer, and Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice make a potent, heavy lineup that is impossible to top. Heaven and Hell may be one of the best bands in the world. Headlining the night was Judas Priest, and they did not disappoint. Singer Rob Halford still has the trademark screams and growls that helped propel this band to stardom, still proudly rode the motorcycle, and still decked himself out in leather (though honestly, I’d have preferred more motorcycle jacket and less trench coat—you’re never out of style with a classic leather jacket). Songs like “Breakin’ the Law” and “Electric Eye” were standouts. A shining night of sweaty crowds in black t-shirts and bleeding eardrums when it was all over.

3. The Who at the Verizon Center

This band should be THE role model for all artists who still want to rock and keep the flame alive–who age gracefully but without abandoning what made you love them all along. (Elvis Costello and Paul Weller, are you listening?) Pete Townshend was as sincere and talented as ever (yes, he still does the windmill strumming, but tastefully), and Roger Daltrey is still one of the best frontmen of all time (yes, he still swings the mic around like nobody before or since). It was powerful, it was subtle, it was raging, it was quiet–overall a remarkable, dominating group, with songs like “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and a host of other hits proving why this band matters no less today than it did in 1965. So moving I had tears during some of it—that’s how tender/powerful Townshend’s songwriting can be. Special notice should be made of Zack Starkey’s insane drumming (complete with mod haircut)–he’s Keith Moon’s worthy successor.

2.  My pickup truck

It’s rusty, it’s old, and it may not last another year. But there’s a bit of heaven on Earth driving down the road taking stuff to the dump with the dog next to you, the windows rolled down, and Hank Williams III, the Clash and Government Issue blasting into the country air.

1. AC/DC, Verizon Center

The ears are still ringing from this one, and the heartbeat is still racing. A perfect concert–a combo of a legendary band with almost all original (or at least, all longtime) members, songs that define rebellion and good times all at once, and hard rock meets blues meets shredding licks and screams that will curl your toes. Throw in gigantic cannons blasting, a huge blow-up doll onstage, a monstrous bell descending from the ceiling, a lifesize train, a guitarist who at age 53 rocks harder than most musicians half his age, and it all equals a musical fist to the face. For those about to rock, we salute you.

Dave Smalley sang for the bands DYS, Dag Nasty, All, Down by Law and the Sharpshooters.  He is currently editor of the Weekender section of the Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star.

All contributors to this series were guests on DISSONANCE, a DC punk oral histories show on Radio CPR. Dave Smalley's interview can be heard here.

1. Girls Rock! DC!

As Sleater-Kinney ax-woman Carrie Brownstein so succinctly put it in her foreword to the recently published Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls book, “Everything at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls takes place in a single week. For anyone out there who’s ever tried to write a song, start and finish a painting, or make a film, you know one week is nothing. One week is the time it takes for an adult to think about what we have to do: prepare and procrastinate, produce a draft, doubt we are capable, fail, and start again. But one week is all it takes for young girls, some of whom have never strummed a guitar chord in their life, held drum sticks in their hands, or stepped foot on a stage, to come together with complete strangers, form a band, and write a song that will blow your mind...and to be surprised, to truly be caught off guard, by something so unselfconscious, is to realize that a lot of what we believe to be bold is really quite tame. Bold is not a wanky guitar solo at Madison Square Garden that lasts five minutes while hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of lights and pyrotechnics tell an audience when to applaud. Nor is bold a bassist jumping from the top of a kick drum and doing a scissor kick in the air at the end of a song. Bold is learning how to play the drums on Monday and performing in front of five hundred people on Saturday. Bold is screaming into the microphone, or merely talking into one, when you didn’t even know you could. Bold makes the hair stand up on the listeners’ necks, gives them a lump in the back of their throat, makes them happy to be alive.”

Right on! So there was some talk post-Ladyfest (DC) to do a girl rock camp as a follow-up, but these fine ladies really blew it outta the water. With the first meeting in October of ’07, the labor of this musically-minded female collective culminated in a well-oiled machine of a camp in August ’08 that changed the lives of young 8- to 18-year-old girls in swamp town. As part of the worldwide Girls Rock Camp Alliance, Girls Rock! DC consisted of up to 20 core organizers, 50 volunteers, 48 campers, 8 newly formed bands, and 2 DJs. I know for a fact it ain’t easy being a girl in this city, but a girl like me’s gotta get psyched about a final GR! DC showcase that boasted 600 people in attendance, not to mention Eddie Vedder! Next stop, Madison Square Garden? (“Where is your next show? In Honolulu! Where is your next show…”)
Get psyched: girlsrockdc.org

2. Hear Mount Pleasant!
Yay to Hear Mount Pleasant for fighting the insanity of the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Alliance in my ‘hood. Mt. Pleasant used to be so fun, interesting, REAL, and culturally vibrant ‘til rich people took over with their uber-entitled “quality of life” demands and crushed its spirit like a bug. I know we all play a role in gentrification, but I tried fighting the power for years, but just couldn’t take the straight-up hatred and steamrollering anymore. Mass thanks to the more diplomatic mouths of HMP for organizing to try to bring back something culturally/artistically cool in our neighborhood, to promote more constructive conflict resolution, and to expose the few wealthy homeowners’ agenda, which privately controls our business strip and absurdly gets cemented into law. I love Don Juan! I love Haydee’s! Gimme back my neighborhood!
Get real: hearmountpleasant.org

3. Transformer!
Not sure why, but I get the feeling DC’s also not the easiest place to be for visual artists either. But what do I know? That’s why I like to mosey on down to Transformer when they have exhibitions and programs to get my art on. A beacon of cutting-edge on a block that’s been almost totally Whole Foods-ized, this nonprofit arts organization focuses on supporting emerging, mostly local, artists. Now this sounds pretty DIY and non-alienating to a punky-doodle person like myself. I can dig it. And they’re totally art-world legit with support through grants from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.  Transformer got founded about seven years ago by two true local heroines of the arts: Victoria Reis, current executive and artistic director, and Jayme McLellan, who remains on Transformer’s advisory council but is now director of Civilian Art Projects. Which leads me to my next big-ups item…
Get art: transformergallery.org

4. Civilian Art Projects!
Hey, I wasn’t able to reach director Jayme McLellan by press time, but trust me, she’s totally cool. Situated down near the Mall (sorry, I can’t say “Penn Quarter”–makes me gag), Civilian kicked off in 2006, breathing very interesting and engaging new art life into the DC scene through up-and-coming artist events, programs and exhibitions.
Get (sm)art: civilianartprojects.com

5.  Halloween on Lamont Street!
Alright, I know I shouldn’t be publicizing this in the paper, ‘cause ever since DC’s main daily paper let the cat outta the bag a few years ago, our street gets totally trampled by scary little munchkins every Halloween while we go broke enabling their sugar highs. But oh how adorable are these little candy-grubbing mess-makers. I’ll even make an exception for that one bold little Spider-Man who wiped out our candy bowl too early in the eve (that crap’s expensive!) in five fell swoops while glaring coldly into my eyes, as his daddy unapologetically looked on. What the hell? Anyways, first organized years ago by the coolest lady on the block, Athena Viscusi, and others, our Halloween block party is most specialest ‘cause it’s closed off to traffic, there’s age-differentiated costume contests, and the whole thing gets broadcast live on the radio. It’s downright neighborly.
Get out:  1700 block of Lamont St., NW, at dark on 10/31, duh.

Allison Wolfe was in the bands Bratmobile and Partyline, among others.  She is also the co-founder of Ladyfest.

All contributors to this series were guests on DISSONANCE, a DC punk oral histories show on Radio CPR. Allison Wolfe's interview can be heard here.

Best film: Iron Man. Surprisingly a far better comic book superhero story than the latest Batman one, The Dark Knight (even though Heath Ledger's wonderful portrayal of The Joker was creepy-crawly cool!) which could've been as good as Batman Begins. I'm not down with the comic book live action genre, but this one won me over. Robert Downey Jr. turns in his best acting job in eons as the cocky moneybag industrialist playboy who invents a big-ass iron outfit to take on the villains.

There really was very little action and making-things-blow-up-real-good special effects in this and that made it cool to me. I always prefer more storyline in my film fare. Everyone's favorite baby-namer/actress Gwyneth Paltrow as Downey's assistant babe, Pepper Potts, was more than likeable for this non-Gwynnie lover. I don't know about you, but I've been so annoyed by the Hollywood popcorn movie machine taking something like the Incredible Hulk and turning him into a gigantic dumb cartoon with all their oh-so-clever CGI nonsense. Or placing baby-faced Tobey Maguire in a Spider-Man costume just to get the Teen People reading girls to make it zillions at the box office. So I have to commend director Jon Favreau for keeping it real, yo! And most of all, thank you Mr. Favreau for bringing back an amazing character actor like Robert Downey Jr. when all most folks in tabloid-land can only remember the talented chap as the "drugged out nutlog who kept getting arrested or turned up in a child's crib."  When I was a mere lad, Iron Man was not in my comic book collection but after seeing this I have to say (with apologies to Ozzy) "I am (an) Iron Man (fan)."

Best live gig: Gray Matter (all original member reunion), Black Cat, 7/11/08:  I'm truly not fond of what I call the "punk rock must pay my rent" reunion tours; Dead Kennedys (there's no "Holiday in Cambodia" without any Jello Biafra), the Misfits (where's the Danzig?), the Jam (I'm not 'avin it when the Modfather Paul Weller's not "Running on the Spot"), and the Undertones (only Feargal Sharkey can provide the "Teenage Kicks"). So why are so many of these old punks doing shows without their original frontmen? To paraphrase a Clash song, they're all hoping to "Rob the Cashbox." But the guys from that '80s Revolution Summer sensation Gray Matter weren't doing it for the bread. It was to help celebrate Black Cat's 15th Anniversary, so this sounded like a winner to a punk geezer like me.

In fact a huge percentage of the turnout was a bunch o' punk geezers from the "Heyday of HarDCore" circa the '80s. Man, it was cool to see Cat owner Dante Ferrando behind a set of skins drumming up a racket. Sometimes it's easy to forget how great of a drummer that fellow is when you see Dante just walking through his club checking out the night's festivities. Singer/guitarist Geoff Turner looked a mite brawnier (tossing in his big hippy curly 'fro for a Rollins-taught buzzcut!) and sang even stronger than I remember from his younger years. The emotional (and let me be the first to say "Fuck that 'emo' tag along with the jackass journo who coined it!) angst and intensity was still in full force as he belted out most of their debut release, Food for Thought, the entire Take It Back EP and pieces from Thog.  And then there's bassist Steve Niles taking time out of his busy graphic artist/writer (did anyone know that Niles wrote the screenplay for the film 30 Days of Night?) schedule to do this show and Ace guitarist Mark Haggerty, both rocking out the evening.  How can you go wrong? From the garage-y punk of "Caffeine Blues" to their over the edge Rites of Spring-inspired roar of "Head," they still managed to have a fun time.

John Stabb sang in the seminal DC hardcore band Government Issue, and The Factory Incident.

All contributors to this series were guests on DISSONANCE, a DC punk oral histories show on Radio CPR. John Stabb's interviews can be found here and here.

In 2008, the ghosts of DC’s punk past were out in full force: Dave Grohl returned to play the Virgin Festival with his Grammy-winning Foo Fighters, while Government Issue reunited to headline a multi-band show that ran to the early morning hours at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Gray Matter powerfully evoked the spirit of Food for Thought shows and Revolution Summer with a reunion show at the Black Cat’s 15^th Anniversary celebration. For its part, Good Charlotte managed to evade the Hollywood gutter press for long enough to play a sold-out show at the 9:30 Club. Henry Rollins brought his mix of humor and social commentary to the Birchmere on election eve. The next night, trailblazing Afro-punks Bad Brains returned to the stage at 9:30, reminding the audience just how mind-blowing they had been when their singer, HR, was still able to focus and channel the immense power of the band and their insurrectional songs.

Meanwhile, with Virgin Festival taking over the space vacated by the HFStival, and H Street corridor clubs like the Hotel wrangling with the Black Cat and 9:30 for the rock audience, everything could start to feel awfully business-like. There was no major rallying point, like last year’s proposed ban on all-ages clubs, and there weren’t any Fugazi-style standard-bearers for the scene; in fact, the leading contender, Georgie James, went the way of all flesh. So did DIY endeavors like the Brian MacKenzie Infoshop and the Bobby Fisher Building, leaving the defiant punk stores Crooked Beat and Smash to carry the homegrown-indie flag in the era of the cyber-market.

Despite it all, underground punk—or the sort that just snuck out the basement door, looking back longingly—was still alive and kicking in the birthplace of harDCore.

1. The Evens @ Wilson Center (aka Capital City Public Charter School)

Yes, this show is from late 2007, so it arguably shouldn’t be here. Nonetheless, in this last DC gig before taking a family-oriented hiatus, Amy Farina and Ian MacKaye showcased something truly unique, thought-provoking, and beautiful: a politically pointed punk drive mated with a Jonathan Richman “wouldn’t hurt the ear of a baby” low-volume vibe. And talk about all-ages… the Evens routinely bring together vastly different generations. At this show, neighborhood seniors mixed with teenage (and not so teen-aged) punks as well as a passel of rowdy post-toddlers up front. The evening conjured a spirit of warmth that was punk in all the most soulful, unexpected ways—and, best of all, it was happening right where so much of DC punk history was born.

2. Leftover Crack/Magrudergrind/Max Levine Ensemble/Starve @ St. Stephen’s

Swinging back towards the other end of the punk maturity spectrum, NY’s controversial Leftover Crack today stands more or less unchallenged in popularity and radical stances; a kind of 21st century hybrid of MDC and Operation Ivy. While the band’s “kill-the-cops” rhetoric is awfully tiresome, their passion–and that of their crowd–is undeniable. While I had the misfortune to be one of those responsible for keeping alcohol away from the packed venue–and out of the hands of the vastly underage crowd–the genuine excitement in the air, and sense of open-ended possibility of the night was exhilarating.

3. Defiance, Ohio/Max Levine Ensemble/The Andalusians @ St. Stephen’s

As the combination of this and the former entry suggests, something of an underground benefit-punk scene has been regenerating at St. Stephen’s over the past year or two, encouraged by Positive Force DC veterans (like me), in alliance with friends at the Infoshop, Positive Youth Fest, and the Bobby Fisher Memorial Building collective. While past shows with Strike Anywhere, Zegota, and This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb were also notable, this evening proved that vibrant and organic parts of DC’s DIY/anarcho-punk scene are still very much in play, rising past the ever-bustling house show circuit.

4. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists/Against Me!/Future Of The Left @ Black Cat

No show in 2008 more successfully evoked the power of DC punk at its late ‘80s/early ‘90s peak than this benefit for We Are Family (the senior service group I work for)–and it wasn’t just because of the set-ending surprise appearance by Alec MacKaye singing Ignition’s “Kiwi Chant,” backed by Ted Leo & the Pharmacists. Bolstered by the addition of fellow D.C. punk expatriate James Canty on second guitar, Leo brought a spark, verve, and intensity to a whole range of punk-related genres from ska, mod, new wave, and hardcore, remaking them into original sounds as vital and essential as any music in any era. Gainesville, Florida’s Against Me! had the unenviable mission of following that performance, but proved themselves up to the task, rousing the crowd with sing-along choruses, urgent lyrics, and sweat-drenched guitar flourishes. All in all, the night suggested music could still move people into action, on the dance floor and beyond.

5. Gil Scott-Heron @ 9:30 Club

DC punk (as I know it) exists in a cultural context enriched by some of the nation’s most significant African-American artists. Gil Scott-Heron has been one of these giants, playing a significant role in not only jazz and blues, but in the birth of hip-hop as well. Heron’s most fertile creative period coincided with his years in DC; apparently, this is also where this revolutionary artist and activist developed what is rumored to be a life–and-career-threatening drug addiction. Sadly, Heron’s first full-fledged DC concert in many years — no Blues Alley mini-set here — did not allay concerns about his wellbeing. Still, the gaunt Heron was a commanding figure, mixing stand-up comic wit with convincing renditions of his incendiary classics, ably backed by a fiery, tight ensemble.

Mark Andersen is author of two books, Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital and All the Power: Revolution without Illusion. He is also the founder of activist group Positive Force and senior outreach group We Are Family.

All contributors to this series were guests on DISSONANCE, a DC punk oral histories show on Radio CPR. Mark Andersen's interview can be found here.