Desolation Center with Special Guest Q&A
Directed by
SHOWTIMES
Fri 9/27: 7:00p
RELEASE DATE
9/27/24
RATING
RUN TIME
1h33min
Screening in support of the D Boon 4 Woody Guthrie Prize 2026 campaign, with special guests in attendance for a Q&A plus a display of never-before-seen photos. Tickets $13 members, $15 non-members.
Q&A will feature:
Stuart Swezey (“Desolation Center” director)
Linda Kite (Fiance of D Boon (The Minutemen), appears in the doc, tour driver for The Minutemen, and merch manager for The Meat Puppets)
Chris Petersen (brother of the late SST Records photographer Naomi Petersen)
Chris will also unveil never-before-seen photos from his sister’s archive as part of the screening
About the film: DESOLATION CENTER is the previously untold story of a series of Reagan-era guerrilla music and art performance happenings in Southern California that are recognized to have paved the way for Burning Man, Lollapalooza and Coachella, collective experiences that have become crucial parts of alternative culture in the 21st century. The feature documentary splices interviews and rare performance footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Swans, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, Survival Research Laboratories, Savage Republic and more, documenting a time when pushing the boundaries of music, art, and performance felt like an unspoken obligation. Directed by Stuart Swezey, the creator and principal organizer of the events, DESOLATION CENTER demonstrates how the risky, and at times even reckless, actions of a few outsiders can unintentionally lead to seismic cultural shifts. Combining Swezey’s exclusive access to never-before-seen archival video, live audio recordings, and stills woven together with new cinematically shot interviews, verité footage and animated sequences, DESOLATION CENTER captures the spirit of the turbulent times from which these events emerged.
About D Boon: D Boon created the legendary punk rock band, Minutemen, with George Hurley and Mike Watt in 1980. The trio went on to release 11 albums in less than six years and toured maniacally until Boon's tragic death in late December of 1985.
