Salad Days is a documentary that examines the early DIY punk scene in the Nation’s Capital. For LA and New York, punk was a fashion but in Washington, D.C., it was a lifeline. The tiny not-quite-state produced some of the most furious bands in the nation: Teen Idles, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Government Issue, and Fugazi. Former fanzine creator and lifelong obsessive Scott Crawford compiles the definitive document of the scene, not only showcasing the raw clout of the music but also the story of influential DIY label Dischord, the politics, the straight-edge movement, and the birth of emo. Contextually, it was a cultural watershed that predated the alternative music explosion of the 1990s (and the industry’s subsequent implosion). Thirty years later, D.C.’s original DIY punk spirit serves as a reminder of the hopefulness of youth, the power of community, and the strength of conviction.—Various sources