Building A Broken Mousetrap: The Ex Live in New York

Formed in 1979 in the Netherlands, The Ex are one of the most adventurous and constantly evolving anarchist punk bands. From their beginnings as lo-fi sub-Crass copyists, the band have slowly absorbed influences from Hungarian and Turkish music, brass bands and electronica, and more recently from Ethiopian and Eritrean musicians they have collaborated with.

They have also worked with Chumbawamba, the Dog Faced Hermans, Sonic Youth and Tortoise.

In September 2004, the Ex landed in New York City, their intention to play a show at the Knitting Factory. It was both the third anniversary of 9/11 and the week of the Republican National Convention.  This documentary, by Fugazi director Jem Cohen, backgrounds the frenetic and passionate band performance with shots of protest marches, police in riot gear, and shaky images of the oppressive city.

While the film is functional and ignores over-aestheticising the performances, this is as close as you’ll come to the cathartic performances of The Ex in person(s).