Classic Bad Brains and Agnostic Front footage

Bad Brains in Philadelphia, PA 1982

The following two videos were dug up by DCXX contributor, Andy O from Winnipeg, Canada. Not only did Andy uncover these incredible videos, but he also supplied them with his entertaining commentary. Big thanks to Andy, now go dig in! -Tim DCXX

Bad Brains, Philadelphia, early 80s....(Isn’t there a flash of this in American Hardcore? Here’s MUCH more, in all its glory…). There’s some other jaw-dropping, city-block tremor inducing early Bad Brains footage from Philadelphia (sadly with not many views at all!) that is crucial to watch, but I think this may be the most incredible (and mind-blowing Twilight Zone-like as well...I get a total kick out of that person who, very deliberately though in a totally cool and not at all in a “bothered” way, walks off toward the back of the stage near the beginning of this footage as if to say “Well, this young group has been terrific and I would truly like to see the rest of the performance, but I do have to get to my meeting with Terrence.”)….

Now, without further ado, locked like nuclear detonation in the middle of about 2 minutes of crushing early Bad Brains footage, is one of those utter human existence in the universe fifteen second moments of truth.

By 1:05, until about 1:20 (that fifteen seconds), if you, as a hardcore fan, do not feel your heart pumping so hard it is one notch away from exploding and your legs and feet and arms and body not ready to be stomping so hard you’ll pound straight through the floor (and you don’t care for a millisecond during the next week that you can only hobble around because of the bruises) and you are not ready to start slamming, HB strutting, moshing* or diving off of everything like it was the last minute before 200 ICBMs launch and pulverize the entire planet and even your furniture is starting a pit and you are not shouting “RIGHT BRIGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” along (at least in your mind) then it is time to stop listening to this music, donate your records and zines to a charity (or enthusiastic kid), hang up your boots (or other dancin’ footwear), and even though it is 2009, go and listen to some Eagles, and chuckle (nay, guffaw) with your friends, “on the patio”, at your “wacky teenage years” and how that the flute part in that thirtysomething speaksTV show to you. Otherwise, enjoy the hell out if this (especially the first 20 seconds of the breakdown), and go and live your life like every second and every heartbeat you have pounds with a hardcore passion and drive and whitehot (hopefully hyperactive) energy and change the planet…or at least your own world and the world around you. Holyfuck this footage is amazing.


Agnostic front at Irving Plaza, NYC 1988

Here’s some AF footage from 1988, at Irving Plaza…the band is raging and whenever the camera pans out there are some awesome shots of the slaughterhouse of a dance-floor…especially during Your Mistake, around 3:12…while there’s a wall of stage guys keeping the diving to a minimum, the crowd action destroys…