1Alternative Tentacles will be releasing “924 Gilman St.,” a documentary about the Berkeley, California non-profit punk venue of the same name that birthed Green Day, AFI, and Operation Ivy. The former two bands aren’t currently allowed to play there however since the venue disallows major label bands.

From the movie’s MySpace page: “This film was made in hope that people in other towns, across the U.S. and the world would be inspired and empowered to start a club of their own.” The DVD will be released on July 29.
2The documentary “Heavy Metal in Baghdad,” due out June 10 on DVD, is the first full-length feature from VBS.tv, the video offspring of VICE magazine. It was shot for $75,000.

New York Times says: “A blend of “Behind the Music”-style back story and amateur guerrilla war reporting, the film follows Acrassicauda from 2003 to 2006 as the four remaining members struggle to stay together even as Iraq falls apart. Their rehearsal space is bombed, their audience dwindles and eventually, they, too, flee to Syria, then to Turkey. Two years later, filmmakers and band have remained committed to one another and to the youthful idealism of the movie (as expressed through a devotion to pounding riffs and shrill lyrics, of course).”
3Broken up since 1995, Big Drill Car, one of the late 80s/early-90s most underrated pop punk bands, will be reuniting in Huntington Beach, California at Fitzgeralds on August 13th. Sorry kids, it’s already sold out unfortunately.

Bob Thomson, the band’s bassist says on their official site: “This is a warm up show for a couple other things to follow, this show being the most intimate in my opinion. Can’t tell how stoked I am that this is actually happening, in fact we all seem to be pretty stoked to rock again.”

4The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco is playing host to the 50th birthday bash of Jello Biafro, the mouthpiece behind ’80s politicos the Dead Kennedys. The two-night party, called Biafra Five-O, features the music of the Melvins, Los Olvidados and Akimbo, and is sure to be a who’s who of Bay Area punk luminaries.

From L.A. Times music blog: “Jello’s contributions to the punk rock canon aren’t as lauded as Joey Ramone’s or Johnny Rotten’s, but he’s been a guiding light (well, more like a guiding car alarm) for Bay Area punks since the turn of the ’80s. As lead provocateur in the Dead Kennedys, Biafra helped invent the American take on political punk.”

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