Sunday, July 18, 2021

IN THE PIT: Opening Reception!

Dennis Dread, Alison Braun and her husband Benjamin Malay who framed every piece in the show himself!
Wyrd War chief Dennis Dread, Alison Braun and her talented husband Benjamin Malay, who framed every print in the show himself.

Alison Braun doing her thing!

Spit Stix of FEAR made an appearance.

Punks not dead.



Alison explaining the fine are of film vs digital to a young fan. Many of the photos in our current exhibit were shot on 28mm, which means that Alison was often only two feet from her subject (no zoom). In the case of her portraits of Cal Morris of DISCHARGE and Glenn Danzig of the MISFITS, she was standing on stage right beside the band. 

It was great to see so many new faces at the gallery, and so many people who were at the concerts featured in Alison's photography circa 1981-1991.

Blaine Cook of THE ACCUSED kicked out the jams in our parking lot with his lovely wife Rahel. 




Our sponsor BLOODxSWEATxTEARS kept everyone appropriately spirited.


Thank you to everyone who came out for the opening reception of IN THE PIT: The Photography of Alison Braun (1981-1991)! It was our most successful evening yet, and a perfect way to celebrate our second year as a brick and mortar space. The exhibit is on display through August 28, so feel free to email wyrdwar@gmail.com to schedule a visit. The books have flown off the shelves (twice!) already, but we will have more soon. Punks not dead.  

Sunday, July 04, 2021

IN THE PIT: The Photography of Alison Braun (1981-1991)


Strap on your boots and join us at Wyrd War headquarters this Saturday July 10 for the grand opening of our summer exhibition IN THE PIT: The Photography of Alison Braun (1981-1991). 6pm-10pm. No appointment necessary. 3505 NE Broadway Street Portland, OR.

Alison Braun will be with us to sign copies of both the US and international editions of her amazing new book that collects some of her most iconic images from the formative days of hardcore punk and heavy metal. All of her gorgeous framed B/W prints will be available for purchase!

DJ Blaine Cook of legendary splatter punks THE ACCÜSED will join Dennis Dread on the wheels of steel! After the opening reception, IN THE PIT will remain on display by appointment through August 28 only at WYRD WAR!

Alison Braun is punk rock photography royalty! In 1976, she attended her first KISS concert and decided at the age of ten, in a smoky stadium, that she would dedicate her life to photography and the primal energy of live music. A few years later she was hanging out with the Misfits and Discharge, and documenting some of the most explosive music and controversial creative personalities of the 20th century...and she is still at it! We are delighted to host this rare exhibit of Braun's seminal photography, developed from her original 35mm negatives and specifically curated for Wyrd War! 

Long before everyone had high-resolution cameras in their back pockets and life became a performative ritual of self-documentation, it was the task of a few very dedicated fans - with the right equipment and the right place to stand - to capture the birth of hardcore punk, thrash metal and crossover in DIY darkrooms. And Alison Braun was in the pit. 

Bad Brains, Voivod, Slayer, Battalion of Saints, Black Flag, Discharge, Agnostic Front, GBH, The Accüsed the Misfits and many, many more...captured in their prime on b/w film by one of the most charming, unassuming and intelligent artists to emerge from the scene! 

This exhibit will be on display July 10 through August 28 by appointment. Flyer features Cal Morris of Discharge photographed by Alison Braun on December 9, 1983 at the Olympic Auditorum. Graphics by A.K. Wilson.


IN THE PIT: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF ALISON BRAUN
OPENING RECEPTION 
JULY 10, 2021
6:00pm-10:00pm
3505 NE BROADWAY ST. 
PORTLAND OREGON

Friday, July 02, 2021

TERMINAL ZONE: Closing Reception


CITIZENS OF SLAVE SHIP EARTH: 
THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING! 
TERMINAL ZONE CLOSES TOMORROW SATURDAY JULY 3, 2021. 
YOU HAVE ONE MORE DAY TO WITNESS...THE END! 
6:00PM - 10:00PM. NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY. 

For as long as humans have huddled together around primal fires, we have grimly prophesied the end of our world. It is almost symptomatic of civilization itself to fixate on the anxiety of our impending collective demise. Every major religion around the world espouses its own harrowing mythos of the End Times, Armageddon, Final Hour, Ragnarök, Day of Judgement, Rapture. However, none of these epic belief systems can compare to the coked out, mafia money laundering visions of our dark dystopian future as depicted by the film industry during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. Teeming with rank tanning-bed sweat, hilariously rigid gender stereotypes and yawning unpaid punk extras, the post-apocalyptic genre tends to compensate for its lack of funding and plot with excessive fog machines, bondage gear, hairspray, plastic armor, fearless stunt men, animated lasers and, occasionally, guinea pigs painted black to resemble giant radioactive rats. The results are almost always awesomely, stupefyingly and sardonically entertaining! 

Wyrd War proudly invites YOU to experience TERMINAL ZONE: Cinematic Visions of The End! Please join us for the closing reception this Saturday July 3 from 6pm until 10pm

If you dare.