Photos from 242 Main's "Final Show"

Photos by James Lockridge.

242 Main in Burlington — the country's longest-running all ages punk rock venue — celebrated more than 30 years of history on December 3, 2016 with performances by 22 bands. It was titled, the "Final Show" to acknowledge that nobody knows what its future will be in Memorial Auditorium, a city building that has been neglected for so long it has become dangerous. Big Heavy World live-streamed the full concert to over 1,700 unique viewers and the show was at capacity for more than five hours. Death dropped in to the Rough Francis set. Get A Grip got the audience to hose itself with silly string. My Revenge made the kind of political statement that's only possible when you're Spencer Crispe.

To many people who came, it was an emotional 'good bye' to a beloved and life-changing club. To some us, including the director of Big Heavy World, the occasion was a reminder that we have to strive for what matters, and the fight to sustain 242 Main has just begun. It's become time to remind the City of Burlington what matters to its youth is the opportunity to live lives with confidence and have voices that are heard, and to know that mutual respect is possible and that whole life-long communities are based on these values. 242 gave this to Burlington, and if it can travel further into its future, Burlington will be stronger and better for it.

Follow the production of the 242 Main documentary film; listen in to the larger political context of why the "Final Show" happened, and why 242 Main still has a future; and sign the petition to turn city leaders' attention to 242 and the importance of its legacy.

Big Heavy World sends special thanks out to Burlington Parks Recreation & Waterfront for supporting this event so wholeheartedly; to Northfield Savings Bank for helping us get more than 200 historic 242 Main posters onto the wall, enjoyed by everyone; and FedEx Office, for helping us print those posters, too.