Churchill's Pub, the storied, gentrification-repellent venue in Miami's Little Haiti, is a real institution in an institutionless town. Like time itself, it seems to have no beginning and no end in sight; it's just there, always, changing little. But Churchill's did, of course, have a beginning – back in 1979, when punk rock had finally gotten a foothold in the United States and bands playing original music were finally starting to get a shot around town. Most played at Churchill's, as has virtually every South Florida motley crew of people with guitars ever since. Over its 30 years, the sort-of-English pub has hosted nights of almost every genre under the sun, from underground hip-hop to electronic laptop noodling to straight-up noise.
But to this day, it's punk that's remained its mainstay and even its overall aesthetic. (The layers of stickers, lingering cigarette stench, and perennial bathroom filth surely contribute.) As such, Slammie Productions has organized a bang for the buck this Saturday that celebrates both Churchill's and the rock genre it's grown up alongside. A host of staple legendary acts from across the venue's history will take the stage, including Charlie Pickett, Radiobaghdad, the Holy Terrors, and the Crumbs. Also playing are new bands featuring members of old Churchill's classic acts – Tongues of the Heartworm, for instance, features members of Load and Postface, and Nobody's Hero features members of Against All Authority and Guajíro.
