ALL AGES: THE BOSTON HARDCORE FILM

THIS IS BOSTON, NOT L.A.

Young hardcore kids infesting pits from Springfield to P-Town have likely heard legendary tales of Boston’s seminal scene in the early ‘80s. Much of that history has been urban lore and gone largely undocumented, but a new film premiering this weekend seeks to expose the city’s influential scene in all its rebellious glory.

“Boston was a really creative city at that time,” says Duane Lucia, executive producer of All Ages: The Boston Hardcore Film, which opens at the West End Museum Friday. “There were a lot of people rebelling against the establishment, whether it was the music industry, or getting on MTV, or getting onto a record label, or getting acknowledged in any creative genre.”

“Boston had its own style with bands like SS Decontrol, The Freeze, Negative FX, The F.U.’s,” he continued.

“There were a lot of groups, right from that small beginning, that made it into the global network. It’s an original American music form and Boston was at the beginning of it.”

Lucia ran Gallery East, an iconic all-ages venue in the Leather District that was the epicenter of the Boston hardcore scene in the early ‘80s, especially for the younger crowd that couldn’t get into shows at The Rat and The Channel. But rather than being just another rock flick, the film focuses on the cultural impact of Boston’s hardcore scene from 1981 to 1984.

“We had our own clubhouse. They came from all over the country and the world to play there because it was an all-ages audience, and there were no drugs or alcohol. It became an alternative to the clubs where kids would come.”

Directed by Drew Stone, the documentary features dozens of interviews, never-before-seen live performances, and plenty of songs from the featured bands, including Gang Green, Jerry’s Kids, and many others. Lucia said showings are also being planned for New York, San Francisco and San Diego.

“We’re doing our own distribution and our own showings. We want to show it to the people who supported us first. It’s really a do-it-yourself film about a do-it-yourself scene.”

ALL AGES: THE BOSTON HARDCORE FILM

FRI 6.22.12
THE WEST END MUSEUM
150 STANIFORD ST., STE. 7
BOSTON
617.723.2125
8PM/ALL AGES/$10
THEWESTENDMUSEUM.ORG