CinemaNow - Bad Religion: The Riot

December 29, 1990--My brother, Brian, just phoned--"Get your ass down here and film! NOFX and Pennywise are opening for Bad Religion! Eric (of NOFX) says it's cool." My friend, Louis Elovitz, and I arrive at the El Portal Theater in N. Hollywood a little before 5:00 p.m. No hassles from security--they've been expecting us. The theater is relatively empty . . . except for the members of Bad Religion. They see us, we all nod our heads, "What's up?" They're ready for their sound check; Louis and I start taping. We're the only camera guys in the house--that's how I became the only cameraman to film the Bad Religion Riot of 1990 from first beer bottle thrown to the last. . . The Fire Marshall's decision to cancel the gig incited an over-capacity crowd of 1,000 Bad Religion fans into an angry mob. Rocks and beer bottles went flying causing an estimated $25,000 in damages. Paramedics rescued the injured, firemen hosed the masses, and police "escorted" the diehards. You've seen "The Riot" footage when KABC-TV aired it internationally on ABC World News Tonight and when Pennywise used it in their 1995 Epitaph release "Pennywise: Home Movies." Now you can see it live and uncut in its entirety. "BAD RELIGION: THE RIOT"--a piece of punk rock history. --Richard White