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The risky actions of a few outsiders can unintentionally lead to seismic cultural shifts.

English

Desolation Center is the previously untold story of a series of early ’80s guerrilla music and art performance happenings in Southern California that are recognized to have inspired Burning Man, Lollapalooza and Coachella, collective experiences that have become key elements of popular culture in the 21st century. This 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 almost like an unspoken obligation.

“Desolation Center captures an amazing period of time where punks were creating truly unique music, and it seemed as though anything was possible.”
– Lorry Kikta, Film Threat