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Ignition

A collaboration between former Faith vocalist Alec MacKaye and bassist Chris Bald (now on guitar), Gray Matter drummer Dante Ferrando, and Soulside bassist Chris Thomson, Ignition debuted in 1987, earning a reputation as a hard touring band that reliably turned out chaotic, earnest, combustible performances. The group would disband in 1989, but released several recordings on Dischord and pushed the D.C. punk scene forward with its unflinchingly introspective and powerful music.

Drawn from the Sharon Cheslow Punk Flyers collection and the Jason Farrell collection at Special Collections in Performing Arts at the University of Maryland.

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Fliers

Ignition and 3 Flier

Ignition and 3 (Three) - d.c. Space, Washington, D.C., March 13, 1987

Ignition and 3 Flier

Ignition and 3 (Three) - Food For Thought, Washington, D.C., May 24, 1987

Ignition and Laughing Hyenas Flier

Ignition and Laughing Hyenas - d.c. Space, Washington, D.C., July 29, 1987

Fugazi Flier

Fugazi, Marginal Man, Ignition, and Fire Party - Wilson Center, Washington, D.C., September 3, 1987

Government Issue Flier

Government Issue, Ignition, Shudder to Think - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C., October 15, 1987

Ignition Flier

Ignition, Vile Cherubs, Images, Indian Summer - Merrifield Community Hall, Merrifield, Virginia, April 16, 1988

Ignition Flier

Ignition, Bells Of and Fidelity Jones - P Street Beach, Washington, D.C., June 18, 1988 (Version 1)

Ignition Flier

Ignition, Bells Of, and Fidelity Jones - P Street Beach, Washington, D.C., June 18, 1988 (Version 2)

Fugazi Flier

Fugazi, Ignition, Moss Icon, and Ulysses - Washington, D.C., July 28, 1988

Ignition Flier

Ignition, Fire Party and Das Damen - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C., August 4, 1988

Ignition Flier

Ignition, Ulysses and Knifedance - Safari Club, Washington, D.C., September 27, 1988

Ulysses Flier

Ulysses and Ignition - Safari Club, Washington, D.C, September 27, 1988

State of the Union Flier

Flier for State Of the Union benefit compilation, Washington, D.C., 1988

Fugazi Flier

Fugazi, Fire Party, Ignition, Why - Weinberg Center, Frederick, Maryland, January 13, 1989

Ignition Flier

Ignition and Jackhammer Orchestra - BBQ Iguana, Washington, D.C., January 22, 1989

Soulside Flier

Soulside and Ignition - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C., February 1, 1989

Soulside Flier

Soulside and Ignition - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C., February 1, 1989

Ignition Flier

Ignition concert flier, Safari Club, Washington, D.C., February 25, 1989

Ignition Flier

Ignition, Shudder to Think, Fidelity Jones - 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C., May 2, 1989

About

Persistent Vision presents the University of Maryland's digitized special collections materials related to punk in the Washington, D.C. area. Most of these materials reside at Special Collections in Performing Arts (SCPA) in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library. These materials help to tell the story of a subculture and a community that has thrived since 1976.

Curators: John Davis, Ben Jackson
Design: Ben Jackson, Natalie Salive
Authors: Ben Jackson, John Davis, and Jessica Grimmer

With help from: Cindy Zhao, Jeremy Gottwig, Amanda Henderson, Gabby Cameron, Hayden Kramer

Contact Us

Special Collections in Performing Arts is located in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library on University of Maryland’s College Park campus.

For general information about the library and our collections, contact us