Last night my brother-in-law and I saw the Adolescents at the Anaheim HOB. The last time I saw them play was maybe 3 years ago. It's amazing how guys in their 40's (Adolescents, eh?) can still play so well and make everything sound so fresh. Top it off with a new album that is good but not rehashing the LP from 20 years ago and you've got a great gig.
DEK opened the show. Say what you want about quirky teenage punk rockers, but what were YOU doing at 16 or 17 years old? Not writing music and traveling across the country, I bet. And coming from an anal retentive anarcho scene, it's nice to see young kids have fun with their music. Next time I hear a 17 year old "anarchist" explain life to me in black and white terms I'm going to count the days until his 18th birthday then kick his ass.
Btw, that reminds me of a show Ed and I went to (Conflict at the Palace, I think). We stood by the bar heckling and laughing at the preachy kids. We must have looked like Statler and Waldorf.
Anyway, back to the show...
Angel City Outcasts and The Briggs were next. I figured I could lump the together since I had trouble paying attention through their sets. The are, as Lydon usually puts it, nothing more than pub bands, very old fashion. I understand rock and roll was formed off of blues but when every song has the same beat I'm going to catch up on my sleep. Hearing bands like this makes me appreciate Rick's drumming more and more. The typical mid tempo rock and roll beat just bores the hell out of me. Rick likes the drummers I like so I guess the influences are similar. I'll listen to Trotsky and Paco over this cack anyday.
Adolesents. What can you say. The OC Scene would be very different if they never existed. Maybe it wouldn't have taken off at all. But rather than be thankful for the contributions they made to So. Cal punk, it's better to say they still rock decades later.
2005 Edition: Click here, demonspawn!
As if playing crappy music isn't bad enough, the look these guys go for is just ridiculous. Yeah, I know, running around with liberty spikes and such isn't exactly "serious" fashion, but please.... I can't take this seriously at all.
Somehow I don't picture PURE SATANIC EVIL as a guy in clown makeup. I consider a vulgar display of power to be demonic possesion or some other supernatural feat, not some man in black leather and a woman's haircut. Maybe it's just me, but how can anyone take these bands seriously.
Sure, maybe it's fun. Maybe it's like Halloween. But that's what GWAR is for. If it's done with a sense of humor then I can see how some prepubescent loner could buy in. But if listening to these bands brings you somehow closer to hell, then Satan is gayer then previously thought.