Punk the Capital: Building a Sound Movement
A documentary about the rise of punk rock in the town that needed it most… Washington D.C. (1976-1983)
Available digitally everywhere on June 29th – Pre-order now on Apple TV and iTunes
Featuring Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Void, Rites of Spring, and more, including a never-before-seen entire Super-8 archive of early DC punk footage and interviews from Henry Rollins,
Ian MacKaye, H.R., Cynthia Connolly, Jello Biafra, Joe Keithley, and many others
Blu-ray and DVD available now includes 50+ minutes of bonus shorts with
Scream, Void, The Cramps, and The Slickee Boys available via Dischord Records

When punk rock erupted in Washington DC, it was a mighty convergence of powerful music, friendships, and clear minds. This film explores the incredible challenges that this subculture faced when it took root in the Nation’s Capital in the late 1970’s.
Punk the Capital situates DC punk within the larger narratives of rock n’ roll, working as a powerful multi-layered story for both fans and non-fans of punk rock. Featuring musicians such as Bad Brains, Henry Rollins, Ian MacKaye, and Jello Biafra, this film dives deep into the ideas and sounds from this transformative music scene that not only redefined a genre but that created a widely employed model for DIY culture and political engagement.
Created by James June Schneider (co-director, editor), Paul Bishow (co-director), and Sam Lavine (associate producer, co-editor), Punk the Capital was theatrically released in over 50 cities, selected for key festivals (BAFICI, In Edit Barcelona, etc) and has garnered enthusiastic reviews from fans and the press alike (Rolling Stone, Film Threat… %100 on Rotten Tomatoes).
Since its premiere at the American Film Institute, most of the 60+ in- person screenings have been special events, with Q&As with the directors and Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins, curator/publisher Roger Gastman, Bob Boilen, just to name a few.
Punk the Capital will be available on all digital platforms on June 29th, but is now available for pre-order on Apple TV and iTunes.
The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the US for Record Store Day on June 12th via Passion River and in the UK for Record Store Day on July 12th via Wienerworld. A portion of all DVDs and Blu Rays sold through Dischord Records will go to the DC based charity We Are Family.
As an added bonus, the discs contain 50+ minutes of short films from the archives of Punk the Capital:
  • Scream Meets The Hangmen: Featuring all of Scream including Dave Grohl
  • Void and Friends: A portrait of the cult hardcore band from the DC suburbs
  • The Seminal WGTB Concert: The legendary first punk concert for so many DC kids, The Cramps and total chaos
  • The Slickee Boys: Extra material on the band who got DC punk off the ground circa ’76