Home Read Classic DVD Review: Bad Religion | The Riot 1990

Classic DVD Review: Bad Religion | The Riot 1990

A notoriously explosive L.A. gig is documented in all its shaky, home-video glory.

This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):

 


Some naysayers claim most punk gigs are barely controlled riots. But at a notorious 1990 Los Angeles concert by Bad Religion, perception became reality.

After fire marshals shut down the packed show, the crowd of 1,000 started throwing insults, then moved on to rocks and bottles, trashing the theatre and raising hell in the street until cops and firefighters quelled the disturbance. One insider caught it all on home video and presents it here in all its man-in-the-street shakiness. Even better, the disc also includes a fiery BR show from 1988. Too bad they couldn’t have shown that instead in 1990.