GODSTOMPER

Godstomper in Berkeley, 2008

IRON LUNG

Iron Lung from the first UGZ Speed Trials at Burnt Ramen in Richmond, 2003.

The following year we held them at the Slaughterhaus in Oakland, and then a couple of years later we held a few at Gilman, but even then I had to come out the pocket at first for posters, decorations, and trophies.  Thankfully Will Rutherford (who also painted the walls behind the Gilman stage for us) stepped in as treasurer at some point and I was able to get reimbursed for some of that stuff.  The trophies were from a spot in Fremont, and I used to drive out there from Berkeley to pick them up, usually a day or two before the shows.  Gilman was never that supportive of the UGZ Speed Trials, but there were always enough of us to win the vote.

IRON LUNG

Iron Lung - full set from the 2005 UGZ Speed Trials at 924 Gilman.  

Filmed by Paul Godstomper

DYSTROPHY

Dystrophy - Rampaging Insane Depravity Fest 2001, Day Three at Burnt Ramen Studios in Richmond, CA.

CALIFORNIA LOVE

California Love at the Oakland Metro in 2005. We really hustled to find a venue for this last minute show (two weeks notice or something like that), which we finally did at the original Oakland Metro location on Broadway, next to the porn shop. The bill also featured Iron Lung, Unpersons, and Laudanum. Photo by Lars

GODSTOMPER

How about some GODSTOMPER to get you back on track post what has to be one of the most callous, bullshit holidays ever (not here because Berkeley changed it to Indigenous Peoples Day, but the rest the country). This video is from a Limpwrist, Lebenden Toten, Bruise Violet show in 2008, booked by Ariel Awesome and Ale "Nunca Mas". Back in 2008, on most Tuesday booking nights (there used to be booking nights every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night between 7-10pm at Gilman...long story), Carlos Antagony, Ale, Cassondra, Pete Benumb, and myself would bring all the shit we'd been working on for the past week to the table, then try to figure out which shows Godstomper would fit on...joking, kind of...but for real, we did that a lot.

UGZ Speed Trials 2005

All photos by Lars Knudsen

From top to bottom: Iron Lung, Brutal Death, and Reagan SS.

UGZ Speed Trials

Throwback Thursday: Oversized poster for the 2007 UGZ Speed Trials hanging next to the stage at 924 Gilman.

IRON LUNG

Filmed at the first UGZ Speed Trials, which took place at Burnt Ramen in Richmond, California back in 2002.

This trailer has a very short clip from the 2007 UGZ Speed Trials in it. More specifically it has a don't blink or you might miss it cameo of Moses Saarni from CALIFORNIA LOVE unloading a barrage of blast beats. The graffiti pieces, which are partially visible behind him, were done by Will Rutherford the night before the big show at 924 Gilman.