Sunday, May 7, 2023, 2 – 3 p.m.
Join author Matt Walker as he discusses how an unassuming Florida university town became a hot spot for punk rock music. Just minutes from stadium known as The Swamp, the world of academia, and shiny new mixed-use developments, one of the nation’s most notable punk rock scenes has thrived for decades – often out of the view of the average Gainesville resident. Since the 1980s, Gainesville’s punk community has carved out a niche music scene that has impacted the national punk scene and mainstream music. Walker will explore some of the key bands, personalities and other factors that were central to the development of Gainesville’s punk rock scene.
Matt Walker has been writing about music and playing the guitar for more than fifteen years. From 2011 to 2014, he was the editor of Lead Us Down, a website dedicated to punk and indie music in Gainesville. He also served as music editor and then editor of Satellite Magazine, a Gainesville monthly dedicated to arts, culture, and music. He earned his master’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida.
The Brechner Speaker Series honors the late Joseph L. Brechner, a longtime journalist, Central Florida community leader, and television pioneer who is also remembered as one of Orlando’s first clear public voices for civil rights.
This Brechner Speaker Series program is free and takes place at the History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd., Orlando. Parking is available at the Library Garage, 112 E. Central Blvd. Please RSVP.
