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A night celebrating punk history, DIY spirit, and the music that keeps it alive.In the summer of 1988, Fugazi played a sweaty, chaotic, sparsely attended show in a rundown Philadelphia gym. The sound was terrible. The power went out. And yet, somehow, it became legendary.
Upside Down Punks: The Strange but True Story of That Fugazi Basketball Hoop Show (Microcosm Publishing) is an oral history of that gig—told by those who were there, compiled by J. Hunter Bennett, with a foreword by Mickey Lynch, the teenager who made it happen.
To celebrate the zine’s release, we’re throwing a proper DIY show in its honor featuring:
Des Demonas (Washington, DC) Washington, DC’s DES DEMONAS have been hailed as a favorite of Henry Rollins (KCRW FM/Black Flag), Marc Riley (BBC6 Music/The Fall), and Iggy Pop (BBC6 Music/The Stooges) since the release of their debut LP on In The Red Records and their subsequent singles and EP.
The group is made up of some familiar names from the DC punk, garage, and indie scenes. A Kenyan punk-poet-politique Jacky “Cougar” Abok (Foul Swoops, Thee Lolitas) is on vocals & percussion, Chicano/Indigenous-American Mark Cisneros (Hammered Hulls, Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds, The Make-Up) is on guitar, Paul Vivari (Benjy Ferree, DJ Soul Call Paul) is on Farfisa organ and bass machine, and Matt Gatwood (Two Inch Astronaut) is on drums.
https://des-demonas.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/officialdesdemonas/
Dot Dash (Washington, DC) Along the way, Dot Dash has played shows with The Monochrome Set, The Clientele, The Undertones, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The B-52s, Richard Lloyd (ex-Television), The Chameleons, Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), The Bats, The Drums, The Trashcan Sinatras, Sylvain Sylvain (ex-New York Dolls), Frankie Rose, Ultimate Painting, Ladybug Transistor, Dim Wizard, Allo Darlin, The Wave Pictures, Stevie Jackson (Belle & Sebastian), Eternal Summers & lots of other rocking combos.
https://dotdashdc.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dotdashdc/
Applied Knowledge (Philadelphia) Applied Knowledge crafts songs like hardboiled fiction—sharp, moody, and full of perspective. Blending post-punk tension, noir-drenched lyricism, and raw alternative energy, they build stories through sound—melodic when you least expect it, jagged when it counts.
Fronted by Peter Cortner (ex-Dag Nasty) and driven by bassist-songwriter Sam Pinola, the band’s songs unfold like dark city streets lit by flickering neon—full of shadow, movement, and an undercurrent of unease. Guitars from Scotty Why and Joe C. shift between shimmering atmosphere and jagged edges, while Jay’s drumming hits with the precision and intensity.
https://appliedknowledge.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/appliedknowledgeband/
All ages / 7:30 Doors / $15 admission / $25 admission + zine
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
PhilaMOCA, 531 N 12th St,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Tickets
