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July 21, 2026

Forty Years of Heavy Metal Parking Lot

City Cast DC

Forty Years of Heavy Metal Parking Lot

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The movie Heavy Metal Parking Lot turns 40 this year — and feels weirdly contemporary. The basic setup is this: A couple of guys showed up at the parking lot of a Judas Priest show outside DC and just let cameras run as the tailgaters go wild. The difference: The cringe behavior didn’t wind up on social media, but instead became part of an underground art film that slowly became a cult classic. The filmmakers Jeff Krulik and John Heyn are here to tell the story of the metal show and what happened next. 


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If you enjoyed this interview with Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the Executive Director for DC Public Library, learn more here.

Learn more about the sponsors of this July 21st episode:

DC Public Library

DC Sustainable Energy Utility

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