Anarchist publisher AK Press has been fighting to get back on its feet since a crushing fire last month that’s pushed the independent, radical press to ask for help. Now, they’ve got American punk rock band Green Day on their side.
Photo courtesy of rock985.com
In a historic turn of events, Green Day returned to 924 Gilman Street, an all-ages, collectively organized music club in Berkeley, CA, where Green Day got their start in the early nineties. They’ve been formally banned since 1994 (albeit, they stole the stage for an impromptu show in 2001), but 924 Gilman welcomed the trio back on May 17 for a benefit concert for AK Press, 1984 Printing, and individuals displaced by the March fire. And it’s getting a lot of attention from Rolling Stone, SPIN, NME, San Francisco Magazine, and Contra Costa Times.
The A.V. Club story on the show said that the benefit for AK Press showed, “that even though Green Day may have ostracized from the scene that bred it, it still cares about the people in that scene. It’s true what they say: Every time a holier-than-thou punk kid sings along to ‘Basket Case,’ a rock band gets its cred back.”
With Green Day, a lot of community support, and a fire in their bellies, AK Press is on its way back to fully functioning. According to the East Bay Express coverage of the event, “[During the show] AK Press handed out its latest book catalog. The introduction reads, ‘With support like this, it will make more than a fire to stop us.'”
To support AK Press, go to their crowdfunding page.
For the complete setlist from the Gilman show, see the KQED article.