Upside Down Punks: The Strange but True Story of That Fugazi Basketball Hoop Show

In the summer of 1988, a star-struck teenager with zero concert promotion experience booked a fledgling DC punk band called Fugazi to play a decrepit gymnasium in a forgotten section of Northeast Philadelphia. Attendance was sparse, conditions were sweltering, and the sound sucked. But thanks to time, technology, the rise of social media—and Fugazi singer Guy Picciotto stuffing himself through a basketball hoop—that once-disappointing show is now "legendary." Read all about the gig and how it came about through this oral history compiled by attendee J. Hunter Bennett, including an introduction by the kid who made the show happen, Mickey Lynch.

"I laughed my ass off—such a good piece. I got to hand it to Mickey Lynch—I had no idea the mental grind he went through putting that gig together." —Guy Picciotto, Fugazi

"Loved it. Exceptional stuff. Great perspective on all fronts." —Brendan Canty, Fugazi

By J. Hunter Bennett, with foreword by Mickey Lynch. 36 pages, 4.25"×7"×0.13". Published March 11, 2025.