The Day Punk Rock Went Upside Down
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Since the 1980s, Guy Picciotto has played an important role in the music community of Washington DC, particularly through his contributions to bands like Rites of Spring and Fugazi.
Fugazi debuted on September 3, 1987, and marked the beginning of a significant shift in how people engage with and perform rock music.
In early 1988, Ian MacKaye was approached about Fugazi performing in Philly. He eagerly agreed without much back-and-forth.
The show was a benefit for a homeless shelter, so financial negotiations were non-existent. Ian requested a concise lineup, including Philly’s Scram, with tickets priced at $5.
The organisers chose a venue with a history of hosting all-ages punk gigs: a YMCA gym in Northeast Philly. The place wasn’t great, though. It was basically a big cinder block box with lousy acoustics, possibly no air conditioning, and a shaky stage.
But Fugazi didn’t complain, not even when the power went out during their set. They put on an amazing show, full of energy and passion. Scram was fantastic too, with their punk-funk-reggae vibe, and The Corrupted Ones kicked things off nicely.
But what everyone really remembers is Guy Picciotto from Fugazi climbing through the basketball hoop and singing “Glue Man” upside down. It was a crazy moment that’s become legendary, thanks to Gem Cohen’s documentary “Instrument” and Sean Gustillo’s photo that’s all over the internet.
Sean Gustilo got into punk thanks to his older brother in the mid-‘80s, and soon he was a regular at venues like Club Pizzaz, Revival, and City Gardens.
Eventually, Sean took over Philly Zine, where he not only explored his passion for punk but also dabbled in computer-based design, a new field at the time, and engaged with the emerging “homo punk” scene. Sean was among a vocal minority of gay punks who spoke out at a time when the scene largely ignored matters of sexuality.
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