‘The Godfathers of Hardcore’ screening + Agnostic Front Q&A
Vinnie Stigma and Roger Miret join filmmaker Ian McFarland to discuss the band’s hardcore legacy
In the documentary film The Godfathers of Hardcore, director Ian McFarland looks at the storied and misunderstood New York hardcore scene surrounding the band Agnostic Front. The group played a seminal role in melding East Coast thrash and hardcore punk in the shadow of the Reagan administration.
Amid the cultural dystopia of the 1980s, hardcore, for Agnostic Front, was a way of life — a means of survival — that bred strength and created a sense of community for generations of outsiders. Their experiences growing up on Manhattan’s derelict streets shaped singer Roger Miret and guitarist Vinnie Stigma’s entire worldview. In The Godfathers of Hardcore, McFarland tells the story of how Agnostic Front’s longstanding members have adapted to change while growing older, and coping with the hurdles of ever-changing technology, while staying true to their ethics.
On Wed., March 7, Agnostic Front shares the Coca-Cola Roxy stage with Dropkick Murphys and Bim Skala Bim. On Thurs., March 8, the Plaza Theatre hosts a one-time screening of The Godfathers of Hardcore, followed by a live Q&A with McFarland along with Agnostic Front’s Miret and Stigma. When all is said and done, there’s an after party next door at the Righteous Room. Burnt Hickory Brewing is serving up a limited edition “Cause For Alarm” lemon-lime salted pale ale to mark the occasion.
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