Desolation Center

Ottawa Premiere the Week of September 20th!

The untold story of a series of Reagan-era guerrilla punk and industrial desert happenings in Southern California that are now recognized as the inspiration for Burning Man, Lollapalooza, and Coachella. Interviews and rare performance footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, Survival Research Laboratories, Savage Republic, Swans and more.

Slamdance Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize nominee!

“manages, against almost impossible odds, to capture the power of events that revolutionized pop music as we knew it.” (Georgia Straight)

“fascinating historical documentary” (Hammer and Nail)

“The (occasionally hilarious) recklessness, but also the crazy creativity that made these events possible, all come through loud and clear and make the film an entertaining ride even for people without any interest in California’s early 1980s punk-rock scene.” (Hollywood Reporter)