Speedway, I Owe You

So my friend Walter took me to my first hardcore / punk show in the summer of 89. I just remember as we came closer and closer to the venue I grew more and more unsure. The place was called The Speedway Cafe and it sat under the 500 s via duct in SLC. As I got a good look at the place it seemed unreal. It looked like the largest band of society's filth huddled near the door to a small warehouse. We got and stood in line with the band of misfits, bless their hearts, and I just had a little prayer in my heart that the guy with the seven inch mohawk didn't kick by balls up into my throat area. There were conversations occuring such "Let me hold your hair back while you vomit honey." Once we got in I was a little reassured. The walls were entirely covered by flyers of bands that had previously played there. It was quite a pantheon of punk rock. All the heavy hitters were there. Inside the place was a little deli, if you can believe it, which served punk foodstuffs, and then there was a narrow enterance to the holy of holies; the stage area which consisted of a concrete room with a three foot stage. Pretty much indestructible. The opening band was called Verbal Assult and they took music to a level I had previously not realized was possible. The funny thing is that later in 92 I would see their second to last show ever in Washington DC. Kids were flying everywhere and pretty much going ape shit. I couldn't believe my eyes. I knew that this would become a big part of my life. I would attend the Speedway Cafe regulary for the rest of its existence. Many national bands had their beginnings there. i saw Soundgarden the first time they came with about 100 other people. An interesting thing happened at that show. The bouncers at Speedway were as hard and bad ass as they come and believe me they were not shy about using their Mag Lite on your head if you disrupt the homogenic vibe. Yeah, that's like handing out speeding tickets at the Nascar 500. Anyway, One bouncer put his Mag Lite on a kids head during Soundgarden's set. The manager of Soundgarden didn't appreciate this and came out and fully bitched out the bouncer. Well the crowd had had it to, they were chanting "pussy, pussy!" I saw the bouncer's life pass in front of his eyes. If he somehow got sucked into the crowd it would be like a fat cow trying to fend off a school of prannahs. He immeaditly apologized to the kid and then he and the manager gave each other a big and sentimental hug. The crowd clapped their approval. One of the most fascinating things about the Speedway was the crowd waiting to get in. One of my favorites were the Nazi skinheads selling LSD. They were always a great installment. The Nazis were always up to shenanigins. One thing they would do was called the chicken slam. This involved one Nazi sitting a top his partners shoulders and basically running around the slam / mosh pit trying to dethrone the other Nazis doing the same thing. One time my Hippie friend, Mark, discovered the show to DRI was sold out and his ride was already in the show so he had to wait it out smoking pot with the Nazis under a bridge abutment. Speaking of hippies, they had to really check themselves as to why they were there. I remember a punk addressing a hippie casually as "You hippie" right before breaking his nose.