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‘Destroy Cleveland’ film captures punk scene
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
Matthew Greenfield has been obsessed with Cleveland’s hardcore/punk scene since the first day he witnessed it.
Chaotic but close-knit, it was ignored by the mainstream but had a fanbase that was cultlike in its devotion.
Greenfield, a Liberty native, captures the bands, bars and fans in his new documentary, “Destroy Cleveland.” The film will get its Mahoning Valley premiere Saturday when the Youngstown Cinema series screens it at 9 p.m. in the Erie Terminal Building, downtown.
Admission is $10 ($8 in advance at youngstowncinema.com and at Joe Maxx’s Coffee, downtown).
Greenfield will be on hand to introduce the film and field questions, and an after-party will immediately follow the screening at Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts on North Phelps Street.
Before he moved to Austin, Texas, four years ago, Greenfield was best known in the Youngstown area as rapper MC Homeless.
He also runs the website rustbelthammer.com, which covers the Cleveland hardcore scene.
The Liberty High School and Kent State University product talked to The Vindicator last week about the film, the first he has done.
“I grew up in Youngstown, but was always interested in Cleveland’s hardcore scene,” he said. “I started going to shows in the late ’90s. My dad would drive me because I wasn’t old enough. I saw some crazy things there, and I have been obsessed with it ever since.”
The movie starts in 1987 with bands such as Confront and Outface. The singer of Confront went on to form the controversial One Life Crew, while members of Outface joined bands with mainstream success such as Sepultura, Filter and Civ.
The scene darkened a few years later with bands such as Ringworm and Integrity, who had apocalyptic lyrics and a more metallic sound. Many other bands popped up before and after, including H100s, Cider, Apartment 213 and 9 Shocks Terror.
One thing that remained constant was the no-holds-barred attitude at shows that often resulted in fireworks, mayhem and destroyed venues.
“Destroy Cleveland” was finished in July, and Greenfield has been traveling to screenings across the country.
He has shown the film in 10 cities so far, including Cleveland, Columbus, Los Angeles, Buffalo and Richmond, Va. “The bands have a cult following, and when people heard about the movie, it garnered an immediate buzz,” said Greenfield.
Most filming took place at Now That’s Class in Cleveland. Other locations include My Mind’s Eye Records and Hausfrau Records, both in Cleveland the Rock Room in Pittsburgh and Yellow Jacket Social Club in Austin.
Helping shoot the film were Colby Grimes of Youngstown and Jorge Matthew Delarosa of Kent.