2008 Woodie Awards
Rock Against Bush Roars Against War
Punk rockers unite to protest the war and the current administration.
Chelsea Banks
Issue date: 9/29/04 Section: Valley Life
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"Any girls wanna be at the front of the stage?" shouted a security guard, appealing to the growing line in front of the Henry Fonda Theater.
The line of "punks" clad in Anti-Flag and Fat Wreck merchandise and anything else with a political message, reached almost to the end of the block.
Many girls stayed, not wanting to abandon the guys they came with but some girls followed the guard to the front of the line and submitted to a security check that found pens and chewing gum to be a threat.
Inside, the merchandise tables offered such delights as a T-shirt depicting President George W. Bush as a pirate, and the caption, "Arrrgh! Me Brain Hurts!" People swarmed, buying T-shirts, patches and buttons by the fistful.
Some people claimed spots in front of the stage where they stayed glued for the rest of the night. Others found seats in the balcony above, while even more lined the walls, ready to jump into the crowd when their favorite band hit the stage.
The room filled with electric anticipation as the lights dimmed, everyone anxious for the curtain to open and the "Rock Against Bush Tour" to begin.
Mike Park, president of the Plea for Peace Foundation, played an acoustic set, while thought-provoking questions and images of inspirational figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi flashed on a nearby screen. Park's songs were filled with a message of unity and equality among all people. He was the calm before the storm.
Next, the supercharged, electrical-tape-accessorized Epoxies started off with "Need More Time," their contribution to the "Rock Against Bush, Volume 1" CD. Lead singer Roxy Epoxy made full use of the stage, twisting and writhing across it, screaming out lyrics with fierce intensity.
When Strike Anywhere took the stage, many in the audience shouted along with every word, creating a giant mosh pit at the lead singer's request, while the rest of the audience just stayed out of their way.
The line of "punks" clad in Anti-Flag and Fat Wreck merchandise and anything else with a political message, reached almost to the end of the block.
Many girls stayed, not wanting to abandon the guys they came with but some girls followed the guard to the front of the line and submitted to a security check that found pens and chewing gum to be a threat.
Inside, the merchandise tables offered such delights as a T-shirt depicting President George W. Bush as a pirate, and the caption, "Arrrgh! Me Brain Hurts!" People swarmed, buying T-shirts, patches and buttons by the fistful.
Some people claimed spots in front of the stage where they stayed glued for the rest of the night. Others found seats in the balcony above, while even more lined the walls, ready to jump into the crowd when their favorite band hit the stage.
The room filled with electric anticipation as the lights dimmed, everyone anxious for the curtain to open and the "Rock Against Bush Tour" to begin.
Mike Park, president of the Plea for Peace Foundation, played an acoustic set, while thought-provoking questions and images of inspirational figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi flashed on a nearby screen. Park's songs were filled with a message of unity and equality among all people. He was the calm before the storm.
Next, the supercharged, electrical-tape-accessorized Epoxies started off with "Need More Time," their contribution to the "Rock Against Bush, Volume 1" CD. Lead singer Roxy Epoxy made full use of the stage, twisting and writhing across it, screaming out lyrics with fierce intensity.
When Strike Anywhere took the stage, many in the audience shouted along with every word, creating a giant mosh pit at the lead singer's request, while the rest of the audience just stayed out of their way.
