Late Night: Capital Brutalism and DC Punk

$20/Adult, $10/Student

Experience a punk-themed night at the Museum! Immerse yourself in the Capital Brutalism exhibition, exploring the history and future of seven controversial Brutalist buildings and the WMATA Metro system. Enjoy a live performance by Scream, a legendary DC punk band from the 1980s, and mingle with fellow enthusiasts in the Great Hall over local craft beers, cocktails, and snacks, available for purchase.

Schedule:

7 to 9 pm – Tour Capital Brutalism

9 to 10 pm – Performance by Scream

About Capital Brutalism

Amid the Cold War, urban renewal efforts ushered in a “Brutalist” phenomenon that reshaped the nation’s capital in the mid-20th century. Many high-profile public buildings were designed and constructed with exposed structural elements and building materials, including concrete, brick, steel, and glass. They were viewed as cost-effective and efficient, but many haven’t aged well, and public reaction continues to debate their architectural significance.

Capital Brutalism explores the history, current state, and future of seven polarizing buildings and the WMATA Metro system in Washington, D.C. The exhibition uses archival documents, drawings, construction photographs, architectural models, and contemporary photographs to provide context and shed light on the buildings’ stories. Selected buildings are reimagined by leading architecture firms, including Studio Gang, Brooks + Scarpa, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Gensler, and BLDUS, along with students from the School of Architecture at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Capital Brutalism is co-curated by Dr. Angela Person, associate professor of architecture at the University of Oklahoma, and architectural photographer Ty Cole.

Capital Brutalism is organized in collaboration with the Southern Utah Museum of Art.

The National Building Museum’s presentation of this exhibition was supported by AIA.

About Scream

Scream is an American hardcore punk band from Washington, DC that formed in 1979 within the vanguard of the Washington DC hardcore explosion. Known for their incendiary live performances – an urgent mix of punk and rock-and-roll swagger – the original lineup is vocalist Pete Stahl, guitarist Franz Stahl, bassist Enoch “Skeeter” Thompson, and drummer Kent Stacks.

Scream’s debut album, Still Screaming (1982), was the first LP on DC’s Dischord Records, followed by This Side Up in 1984. The band toured throughout the US and were one of the first US hardcore bands to tour Europe and the UK. In 1987, they released Banging the Drum, which was recorded at Southern Studios in London by John Loder. In 1988, No More Censorship was released on reggae label RAS Records. The album was the first to feature drummer Dave Grohl, who replaced Kent Stacks for both this album and Fumble, which was released on Dischord Records in 1993. Until now, the band’s most recent release was Complete Control Sessions in 2011. Scream’s newest album, DC Special, will be released in the fall of 2023 on Dischord Records.

Special Thanks to Presenting+ Sponsor Amazon. Additional support provided by Capital One.