Time: May 1986
Place: Judas Priest & Dokken in concert, Capital Centre, Suburban D.C.

Rather than focus on the actual show, Jeff Krulik and John Heyn captured raucous metalheads tailgating in their natural habitat - the parking lot. The years have only added hilarity to this 15 minute documentary and its time capsule of beers, babes, devil horns and mullets, assuring it a place with Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Dazed and Confused as a definitive, though wholly non-fiction, tribute to teen rock fans. HMPL became an underground sensation via bootleg trading in the early 90s, allegedly a favorite on the Nirvana tour bus. Parodies, a 2003 theatrical release and a short-lived cable reality series followed. Today the metal nostalgia is available on a 20th anniversary edition DVD, if not within the revelers’ addled memories.

Official Website
A Drive Back in Time: Remembering Heavy Metal Parking Lot
885 Blog: Origin of the Devil Horns
885 Blog: Every Bad Boy Has His Soft Side