Review: 924 GILMAN THE STORY SO FAR… – BRIAN EDGE

924 GILMAN THE STORY SO FAR…
COMPILED BY BRIAN EDGE

Maximum Rock N Roll
Street: 12.01.04

For me there are very few truly pure musical places in the world today. At the top of my list are Sun Studios in Memphis, CBGB’s in New York, and maybe the purest, 924 Gilman in Berkley. It was out of frustration that there was not a decent all-ages venue in Berkley that a group of young adults opened Gilman. The venue has become a landmark of DIY culture and continues to stick to the basis on which it was founded.”924 Gilman collective, no racism, no sexism, no homophobia, no drugs, no alcohol, no violence, all ages, volunteer run” is what the sign says on the back cover, and after all the crazy stories I read from these pages, I have to agree this is the best way to run an all-ages venue. Now I could run off a list of impressive band names that have played at, and been given their start on, the stage at Gilman over the years, but they’ve already done that for me in the back of the book where the complete show list from 1986 to 2003 is listed. To me, the Gilman St. venue in Berkley is the best example of what an underground music scene can accomplish. –James Orme