Lewis Nicholson

Yell Through the Walls: Punk Performance and Space

This essay will focus on the performance and expression of the punk movement as site-specific and therefore fundamentally related to location and shared environment. This analysis is twofold. First, I argue punk expression takes place in sites that enable this performance to be performed, by providing a “safe space” for its participants. Second, I argue that societal barriers are placed on punk gatherings, this limits the viable sites available for punk performances. This latter argument stems from the idea that punk performance is denied outside of aforementioned “safe spaces” based on false interpretations of punk beliefs, motives, and expressions. I will investigate these topics, through research of specific punk musicians/artists, research in comparison of concert locations, research in performance studies, site-specific art, location/architectural studies, and comparisons of other performative arts.Ultimately, I will argue how this twofold analysis illuminates punk’s rejection and revolt against mainstream culture and governance is falsely subverted by society to a belief that punks are violent and dangerous to the established norms. Yes, it seems true that the punk movement is didactyly dangerous to the established norms. What is misunderstood is that the punk movement generally follows an anarchist agenda which actively opposes government manipulation and oppressive societal norms and supports social civic movements and freedom of expression. These ideals could in fact be argued as pushing a non-violent and non-dangerous agenda. Punk performance can be attributed to subcultural expression of the anarchist puck identity and its dissemination, which is spatially regulated by the dominate culture.