Foustland

Dorothy and I went out on a beautiful, cloudless day and drove around the Flint area to shoot some video and photos of some of the key hall show locations as they stand today.  

It is kind of funny to me that the majority of the places are just as I remember them (at least from the outside).

First on the list was Siefert's golf barn.  The upstairs of the barn was used in the mid to late '80s for a number of hall shows.  The rural setting made making a lot of noise, late at night, not a problem for the neighbors (one of which is a landfill).  My favorite feature of this rental hall is the bathrooms housed in the silos.  I always enjoyed atending shows here.

Next, we headed up the highway and went to the Ukranian Hall.  The Ukranian was the spot for big shows like Black Flag, Slayer and others.  I had heard somewhere that it was now used as a mosque.  Nope, still a rental hall.  

Next we headed through the hood, into Downtown Flint.  I had been hearing about all of the vacant lots and even blocks, and how the urban was returning to rural so I wanted to see it first hand.  Sure enough, there are a lot fewer buildings and houses in the north side neighborhoods.  If you are looking for a house for $1,500 I can set you up.  

Downtown Flint was the ground zero for a great majority of the hall shows int eh late '80s into the '90s.  The Capitol Theatre was the main location.  With three separate venues, there was a perfect room for any size show.  The Fallout Shelter, housed in the basement was my favorite of the three.  The Fallout Shelter epitomized punk rock shows, grungy, dank, and loud.  The Lobby was used for smaller shows.  For really big shows the main Theatre was opened up.  During a number of years that the Capitol was used, you could get a bite to eat over at Capitol Cafe which was open late.  Downtown Flint, and all it's grittiness had a price though.  One night while attending a show, my car that I parked in the Alley got the window busted out (actually they just went down the line and took out a good number that night).  Nothing stolen, just kids breaking glass.  

Kiddy corner from the Capitol was a great bar that hosted a number of shows, the Rusty Nail.  While not true Hall Shows, the Nail hosted a lot of the big local bands.  I was old enough to get in, but not to drink, although I don't think the bar tender really checked much.  The Nail was torn down, and is now a parking lot.

Another place in Downtown Flint that held shows (again, not a true hall show location) was the Hot Rock Cafe.  This was the first bar I went to as an adult, on my 18th birthday.  Originally the Hot Rock was predominantly a dance club, but in the late '80s a few punk shows were held there.  It was later named Metropolis.  

Heading south out of Flint this journey ends at the first place I attended a Hall Show, the Kishma Grotto Hall in Burton.  The Kishma Grotto is a pretty small place, offering everything you would expect in a punk rock venue, an open room with a place for a band to play and a place for people to stand/slamdance.

Here are some pictures from this trip down memory lane