W♥M: Punk

06/03/2023

Minneapolis: June 21 to June 24

05/30/2023

shame at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (27 May 2023)

shame SETLIST

Fingers of Steel

Shame 2023-05-27 Lawrence Bottleneck setlist

Alibis
Alphabet
Concrete
Six-Pack
Tasteless
Burning by Design
6/1
Born in Luton
The Fall of Paul
Adderall
Orchid
Water in the Well
One Rizla
Snow Day
Gold Hole

Been Stellar SETLIST

Start Again
My Honesty

Been Stellar 2023-05-27 Lawrence Bottleneck setlist

Passing
Valentine
Shimmer
Manhattan Youth
Sweet
Kids 1995
Ohm

shame Tour Dates

MAY 28 George's Majestic Lounge Fayetteville, AR
MAY 30 Granada Theater Dallas, TX
JUN 02 Scoot Inn Austin, TX
JUN 03 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX
JUN 04 Toulouse Theatre New Orleans, LA
JUN 15 Bergenfest 2023 Bergen, Norway
JUL 04 Giardini Ducali Modena, Italy
JUL 20 Bukta Tromsø Open Air Festival Tromsø, Norway
Jul 27-29 Tsunami Xixón Festival Gijón, Spain
JUL 27 CASTELLO VOLANTE DI CORIGLIANO D’OTRANTO Corigliano D'otranto, Italy
AUG 04 Espace Maurice Melois / Plein Air Malestroit, France
SEP 28 Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown, CA
SEP 29 The Regent Theater Los Angeles, CA
OCT 04 Revolution Hall Portland, OR
OCT 06 The Crocodile Seattle, WA
OCT 07 Hollywood Theatre Vancouver, BC

Read More

shame

It’s a shame, but London’s Shame had to cancel their appearance. They were replaced by U.S. Girls, who said, “We’re the best replacement...

What a way to kick off Memorial weekend in Kansas!

London post-punk band shame turned The Bottleneck in Lawrence into their own room of controlled mayhem and activity center as lead singer Charlie Steen directed the crowd all night into clapping along on cue, forming and surging the mosh pit, catching him as he stage dove, and holding him up to end the sweaty ninety-minute set, standing on the crowd's hands.

Bassist Josh Finerty was constantly running and jumping from one end of the stage to the other, and is maybe the only bass player we've ever seen, doing somersaults as he continued to play.

NY indie band Been Stellar impressed as well, in support of their EP, with a Pearl Jam meets Strokes hard-edged street approach to their style of indie-rock.

=====

The rising London post-punk band has returned with their third full-length, Food for Worms, which just came out at the end of last month. Three buzzing singles were released beforehand, doing exceptionally well on the other side of the pond, “Fingers of Steel", "Six-Pack" and "Adderall".

After they missed Rock the Garden in 2018, we finally caught the band live, last summer headlining in Minneapolis. They've been busy touring the UK and Europe, so are ready to hit our shores with a bang.

(Update: NYC indie five-piece Been Stellar will provide support, in support of last August's self-titled EP.)

(Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

shame

BEEN STELLAR

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 03:05 PM in Been Stellar, Bottleneck, John, Lawrence, Punk, Shame | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: 2023 Tour, Been Stellar, Bottleneck, concert photography, concert review, Food for Worms, Lawrence, Lawrence KS, post punk, Shame Band, Shame UK

03/12/2023

Flogging Molly w Anti-Flag, Skinny Lister at VooDoo Lounge, Harrah's N Kansas City, MO (2023-03-10)

Flogging Molly Poster

FLOGGING MOLLY SETLIST

(Intro music: There’s Nothing Left (pt 1))

The Likes of You Again
Swagger
The Kilburn High Road
A Song of Liberty
Drunken Lullabies
No Last Goodbyes
The Hand of John L. Sullivan
Tobacco Island / Ole! (Lange Jojo cover)
The Croppy Boy ’98
Float
Devil's Dance Floor
Life Begins and Ends (but Never Fails)
Crushed (Hostile Nations)
Seven Deadly Sins
These Times Have Got Me Drinking / Tripping Up the Stairs
If I Ever Leave This World Alive
What's Left of the Flag

Encore:

Black Friday Rule
Salty Dog

(outro music: Monty Python – “Always Look on a Bright Side of Life”)

ANTI-FLAG SETLIST

Anti-Flag 2023-03-11 NKC VooDoo Lounge setlist

Hate Conquers All
The Press Corpse
This Is the End (For You My Friend)
LAUGH. CRY. SMILE. DIE.
1 Trillion Dollar$
Turncoat
Die for the Government
American Attraction
Punk S#*t Medley: Should I Stay or Should I Go / Rise Above / Fall Back Down /
If the Kids Are United / She / Blitzkrieg Bop / Should I Stay or Should I Go (reprise)
VICTORY OR DEATH (WE GAVE 'EM HELL)
Brandenburg Gate

SKINNY LISTER SETLIST

Wanted
George's Glass
Tragedy in A Minor
Embers
John Kanaka (traditional cover)
Rollin' Over
Arm Wrestling in Dresden
Hamburg Drunk
Trouble on Oxford Street

FLOGGING MOLLY Tour Dates

March 11 Omaha, NE The Admiral Theater
March 12 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
March 14 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
March 16 Las Vegas, NV The Cosmopolitan Of Las Vegas
March 17 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium
March 18 Riverside, CA Riverside Municipal Auditorium
March 19 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort And Casino
May 24 Glasgow, UK SWG3
May 26 Walton On Trent, UK Bearded Theory Festival 2023
May 27 Hatfield, UK Slam Dunk Festival – South 2023
May 28 Leeds, UK Slam Dunk Festival – North 2023
May 31 Luxembourg-City, Luxembourg Den Atelier
June 2 Nürburg, Germany Rock Am Ring 2023
June 3 Linz, Austria Sbäm Fest 2023
June 4 Nürnberg, Germany Rock Im Park 2023
June 6 Lörrach, Germany Burghof Lörrach GmbH
June 7 Crans-Près-Céligny, Switzerland Caribana Festival 2023
June 9 Zagreb, Croatia Tvornica Kulture
June 11 Novi Beograd, Serbia Institut Za Ispitivanje Materijala Srbije
June 12 București, Romania Quantic Club
June 16 Clisson, France Hellfest 2023
June 18 Strasbourg, France Artefact La Laiterie
June 19 Magdeburg, Germany Factory Center Dominion Club GbR
June 20 Rostock, Germany M.A.U. Club / Zabrik E.V.
June 24 Ysselsteyn, NL Jera On Air Festival 2023
June 25 Antwerp, Belgium Rivierenhof
June 26 Brussels, Belgium Ancienne Belgique
August 25 Palmer, AK Alaska State Fair Inc
Nov. 8 - 13 Miami, FL Flogging Molly's Salty Dog Cruise 2023

Read More

Flogging Molly

The real attraction for us was the Flogging Molly show, who actually arrived earlier than scheduled. They were very anxious to get on stage and rock out. And it shows, Dave King came on stage with a pint in his hand ...

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have become week-long this year, with so many Irish-related events in the area, and longtime Celtic punk band Flogging Molly packed the VooDoo Lounge at Harrah’s North Kansas City, for the venue’s first proper show in the three years since before the pandemic began.

The three-act evening would kick off with a spirited, foot-stomping set from London folk punkers, Skinny Lister, in support of their latest album, 2021’s A Matter of Life & Love. Despite their bus breaking down the night before, the band was manic from the opening chords of 2016’s “Wanted” and kept their energy high throughout their short but impressionable set.

Co-vocalists Dan Heptinstall and Lorna Thomas and stand-up bassist Scott Milsom kept constantly in motion, with Thomas even announcing she’d arm-wrestle anyone at the merch table as the band broke into the new “Arm Wrestling in Dresden”. From there, north to “Hamburg Drunk” (the band must really have fun in Germany), then back to their native London for 2014’s closing “Trouble on Oxford Street” and a rowdy fun set.

===

The mood would turn more serious (but no less loud) as air raid sirens introduced Pittsburgh punk band Anti-Flag’s forty-five-minute set, in support of their thirteenth album Lies They Tell Our Children, (released in January via Spinefarm). Beginning with a blistering version of 2020’s “Hate Conquers All”, the mosh pit swirled speedily at the center of the floor, the group following with 2006’s “The Press Corpse” which frothed up the longtime fans, even further.

Co-vocalists Justin Sane and Chris (No. 2) Barker play off each other so well musically and vocally, like they’ve been playing together for some two dozen years (which is actually the case). Lyrical themes range from social injustice, anti-capitalism, and anti-fascism, but it seemed like most in the crowd were more about the music than its messages.

After name-checking victims of recent police brutality in their intro to 2017’s “American Attraction”, a late-set highlight was their so-called “Punk S#*t Medley” where the band blended some of the genre’s most influential songs into a crowd-clapping workout and music history journey.

They also took time to mention Punk Rock Saves Lives which focuses on health concerns, equal / human rights and more, and encouraged all to stop at their table for a cheek swab to establish a possible match for someone in need of a bone marrow transplant.

===

Not many bands come out to their own intro music, but LA Celtic punks Flogging Molly did just that, picking up seamlessly with their own instruments on 2000’s “The Likes of You Again” to begin their ninety-minute headlining set.

The new album is last September’s Anthem (via Rise Records) which reunited them with famed producer Steve Albini, whom the group had worked with some two decades ago.

The band itself has been around now for thirty years (hard to believe Dublin-born leader Dave King began his career singing for 80’s hair band Fastway) and has built a solidly devoted fan base, that will pack a room regardless of if they play around St. Pats, or not.

2002’s “The Kilburn High Road” is a rarity not often played, but was dug up from the vaults, and featured King’s wife, Bridget Regan on tin whistle, and despite her currently fractured shoulder. The new “A Song for Liberty” was dedicated to the people of Ukraine and “No Last Goodbyes” from Anthem, was a song of celebration ideal for crowd swaying. “Y’know it’s gonna be a great night, when you see crutches in the air!’ King smiled, noting the crowd.

“The Croppy Boy ‘98” pays tribute not only to Trad (traditional Irish music) but also to Ireland’s first rebellion, which occurred way back in 1798. The mosh pit moved with more fervor on 2000’s “Devil's Dance Floor” with King and band encouraging the crowd to “swing a little more”.

The audience chanted along with 2017’s “Crushed (Hostile Nations)” and then everything moved even more in fast-forward on “Seven Deadly Sins” with Regan playing a hyper and dizzying fiddle. The new “These Times Have Got Me Drinking” lyrically came to life on the venue’s floor as you could easily witness people “tripping up the stairs”, but all was in the spirit of good fun and some friendly rowdiness.

The main set ended with a 2002 favorite, “What's Left of the Flag” with King singing, “Walk away me boys, walk away me boys” which they did following, but quickly returned for a two-song encore. King began “Black Friday Rule” (one of their earliest songs) alone on acoustic guitar, with the band magically appearing out of the darkness towards the end, to join in with musical muscle.

The band’s high-speed pirate song, “Salty Dog” (also the name of their seventh annual cruise that sets sail from Miami this November) would end the night with fitting howls, jigs in the audience, and a final lifted salute of Guinness.

They say on March 17^th that everyone is Irish for the day, but when a legendary folk punk band like Flogging Molly comes through town the weekend before, it’s more than enough of an excuse to dig out the green early and raise a toast to celebrate.

(Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

FLOGGING MOLLY

ANTI-FLAG

SKINNY LISTER

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 06:31 PM in Anti-Flag, Flogging Molly, Irish, John, Kansas City, Punk, Skinny Lister | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Anti-Flag, concert photography, concert review, Flogging Molly, Harrah's, NKC, North Kansas City, punk pop, Skinny Lister, VooDoo Lounge

09/05/2022

IDLES at The Truman, Kansas City, MO (2022-09-02)

Read More

Idles

U.K.’s Idles (stylized as IDLES) announced new album, Crawler (Partisan Records) and their sold-out North American tour – starting it all at St Paul’s Palace Theatre on October 7th. ...

IDLES SETLIST

Colossus
Car Crash
Mr. Motivator
Grounds
Mother
Divide and Conquer
The Beachland Ballroom
Never Fight a Man with a Perm
Crawl!
1049 Gotho
The Wheel
Television
A Hymn
War
Wizz
I'm Scum
Danny Nedelko
Rottweiler

INJURY RESERVE SETLIST*

*= we think...

intro music: By the Time I Get to Phoenix

Outside
Superman That
SS San Francisco
Footwork in a Forest Fire
Ground Zero
Smoke Don’t Clear
Top Picks for You
Wild Wild West
Postpostpartum
Knees
Bye Storm

Often, the best and most relevant music (be it rock, or any other genre) has an undeniable urgency about it-- something that cannot and will not be denied, that brings its passion and drive along with, and invites the listener to be an activist and not simply passive.

Buzzing UK alternative group IDLES embodies that, currently on their Crawler Tour, and stopping in Kansas City to play for the most sold-out crowd at The Truman, that we’ve ever seen.

===

The evening started with a set from Tempe experimental hip-hop group, Injury Reserve, who formed in 2013, but was severely shaken when co-founder/vocalist Stepa J Groggs passed away in June 2020. Carrying on, Ritchie with a T and producer Parker Corey self-released their second studio album, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, led by singles “Superman That” and “Knees”, both of which were performed live.

Under a mostly darkened stage filled with a thick fog, the forty-five-minute set got underway with a droning hum, sound samples, and then stream of consciousness verse. Clashing sounds, feedback, blurbs, and noise rock were all combined and de-constructed by Corey, head down in his laptop, as Ritchie stalked the stage, dreadlocks swinging with the tempo of the unconventional beats as songs often flowed from one to the next.

“Pattern's still in place, algorithm's still in action”, Ritchie versed on “Top Picks for You”, this was definitely a sound to get your head around.

===

Bristol, UK band IDLES had only performed once before in the area, a May 2019 appearance with Fontaines D.C. at recordBar that had become much talked about, to almost legendary status, ever since. And so, this return show (delayed like most things, as a result of the pandemic) was not only an instant sellout but had also risen to perhaps the most-anticipated area show of the year.

The alternative-aggro band (please don’t label them as “punk”) is composed of Joe Talbot- vocals; Lee Kiernan- guitar; Adam Devonshire-bass; Jon Beavis- drums; and Mark Bowen- guitar, with fellow Bristol guitarist Tina (Masca, Soeur) Maynard filling in seamlessly, for Bowen (out on paternity leave), and are out in support of their fourth album, Crawler, released last November.

We last caught the band live in Oct 2021, ahead of the newest record and playing much of their previous one, Ultra Mono, as that was released in Sept 2020, when there were no live music options to play those new songs.

A brooding musical intro gave way to Talbot slowly singing the opening lines of 2018’s “Colossus” and by the time he got to its first chorus, singing “Goes and it goes and it goes”, the crowd exploded – beer splashing, cans and debris flying, and a pit bouncing and whirling on the venue floor.

“Are you ready to collide?! Are you ready to love?!” Talbot asked before the new album’s “Car Crash” and the intensity level of band and crowd rose even further. “Let’s seize the day, you can do it”, Talbot encouraged on “Mr. Motivator”, inviting the ferocity back that the band was putting forth, all tempered not with any hate or anger, but more as an overall release.

“We did not sell this venue out, you did! - It’s a beautiful thing!” Talbot said before 2017’s “Mother”, a song that touches on Talbot’s relationships with his own mum, women in general, and even UK politics (not that the crowd cared) and found the audience singing the profane chorus back at the band, louder than Talbot could sing with his mic.

Their sound is like ninety-minutes of the London blitz, Panzer tanks, air raid sirens, and a carpet bombing all at once, and when fan crowd surfing is rampant during even the very slowest songs, it gives you an idea of the collective emotion level in the room.

“I guess this is far as we go” Talbot sang on 2017’s “1049 Gotho” but the crowd was having none of that particular idea, determined to push levels further. “I think with such energy, I need to say nothing more” Talbot said, noticing the intensity of what was being returned in kind.

The relatively delicate “A Hymn” gave way to the relentless and driving inner conflict of “War” after which, Talbot commended venue security for taking good care of the restless crowd. An ode to immigrants and open-mindedness, “Danny Nedelko” led into a complete setlist left turn, as Talbot crooned an acapella verse of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”, injecting a light, brief moment of frivolity.

The set and evening would end with one of their oldest songs, “Rottweiler”, a war cry but aimed against fascists, the tabloid press, and other unhealthy culture trends.

Perceived anger and fierceness, but always tempered with love and joy, is a very fine line to walk, but Bristol’s IDLES still bristles with an all-important urgency to their music, and a style that is a gift that keeps on giving.

IDLES TOUR DATES

03 SEP Riverside Theater MILWAUKEE, WI
04 SEP The Fillmore DETROIT, MI
07 SEP History TORONTO, ONT
08 SEP History TORONTO, ONT
09 SEP Agora Theatre CLEVELAND, OH
12 SEP PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation NEWPORT, KY
13 SEP Stage AE PITTSBURGH, PA
14 SEP The Anthem WASHINGTON, DC
15 SEP Kings Theatre BROOKLYN, NY
17 SEP Roadrunner BOSTON, MA
27 OCT James Hay Theatre CHRISTCHURCH, NZ
28 OCT Shed 6 WELLINGTON , NZ
29 OCT Town Hall AUCKLAND, NZ
31 OCT MELBOURNE, AUS
01 NOV The Forum MELBOURNE, AUS
02 NOV The Enmore Theatre SYDNEY, AUS
03 NOV The Enmore Theatre SYDNEY, AUS
05 NOV The Gov ADELAIDE, AUS
06 NOV Fortitude Music Hall BRISBANE, AUS
08 NOV The Astor Theatre PERTH, AUS

(Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

INJURY RESERVE

IDLES

INJURY RESERVE

IDLES

IDLES- TINA MAYNARD GUITAR NOTES

IDLES

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 02:33 PM in Idles, John, Kansas City, Punk | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: concert review, Crawler Tour, IDLES, IDLES band, Injury Reserve, Kansas City, The Truman

05/10/2022

Girls Girls Girls: The Interrupters, The Regrettes, Crawlers, Starbenders

Read more Girls Girls Girls and Minneapolis Music Guide

06/15 Flogging Molly & The Interrupters at Armory

Read More

The Interrupters

Wow, remember the first time you heard The Interrupters play “Fight the Good Fight”? It was incredible. It instantly reminded you of ska/punk (“skunk”) bands like Rancid. ...

Flogging Molly

06/15/2022 Wednesday

Flogging Molly & The Interrupters
with The Skints
at Armory
armorymn.com

I may have compared The Interrupters (led by singer Aimee Interrupter) to Rancid… and it’s not a knock against the band. I happen to think both bands are excellent. Like many of you, I was blown away by their single “Fight the Good Fight”, which launched the band into stardom.

The band’s forthcoming album is called In the Wild… fans who pre-ordered the album will receive a digital single “In the Mirror”.

We’re also excited to see that they are co-headlining the summer 2022 tour with Irish punk band Flogging Molly… a band that we’ll never forget we saw for free at the Irish Festival in Aug 2008: “ The real attraction for us was the Flogging Molly show, who actually arrived earlier than scheduled. They were very anxious to get on stage and rock out. And it shows, Dave King came on stage with a pint in his hand, dressed in a suit - and launched into "Paddy's Lament", a very rocking song from their latest album, Float.”

Flogging Molly is enjoying a 20th Anniversary celebration of their debut album Swagger… which was recently reissued with exclusive tracks, an Irish traditional set, a 60-minute video feature, and exclusive merch in a collectible box set.

Finally, The Skints to open. The London “tropical punk” four-piece released their fourth album Swimming Lessons on Mr Bongo/Easy Star. Clash magazine dubbed them as “the torchbearers for modern British reggae music.”

However you cut it: ska/punk (skunk) to Irish punk to reggae punk… you’re getting your money’s worth.

The Interrupters tour dates:

June 7th – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater
June 8th – Cincinnati, OH – The ICON Festival Stage
June 10th – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Metro
June 11th – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
June 12th – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre
June 14th – St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Music Park
June 15th – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
June 17th – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
June 18th – Detroit, MI – Meadow Brook
June 19th – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion
June 21st – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
June 22nd – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem
June 24th – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage
June 25th – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!
June 26th – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
June 28th – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl
June 30th – New York, NY – Pier 17
July 1st – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
July 2nd – Lewiston, NY – Artpark
July 3rd – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summerstage
Sept. 9th – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom Outdoors
Sept. 10th – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater
Sept. 11th – Salt Lake City, UT – Complex Outdoors - The Lot
Sept. 13th – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
Sept. 14th – Boise, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
Sept. 16th – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
Sept. 17th – Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater
Sept. 21st – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheatre

05/15 The Regrettes at Varsity Theater

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Alex Lahey

Australian songwriter Alex Lahey is headlining the Turf Club in support of her new album The Best Of Luck Club (Dead Oceans). ...

05/15/2022 Sunday

The Regrettes
with Alex Lahey
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com

Los Angeles punk band The Regrettes (led by frontwoman Lydia Night) is touring in support of their new album Further Joy (Warner Records).

Alex Lahey to open. Last year, we heard the Australian musician signed to Liberation Records and released “Spike the Punch”.

Tour dates:

May 10 – Toronto, ON at Opera House+
May 12 – Columbus, OH at Newport Music Hall+
May 13 – Chicago, IL at Metro+
May 14 – Madison, WI at Majestic Theatre+
May 15 – Minneapolis, MN at Varsity Theater+
May 17 – Denver, CO at Summit Music Hall+
May 18 – Salt Lake City, UT at The Depot+
May 20 – Portland, OR at Roseland Ballroom+
May 21 – Vancouver, BC at Fortune Sound Club+
May 22 – Seattle, WA at The Neptune Theatre+
May 24 – San Francisco, CA at The Fillmore+
Jun 17 – Manchester, TN at Bonnaroo Music
Jul 01 – Rotselaar, BEL at Rock Werchter
Jul 03 – Bilbao, ESP at Bilbao Bizkaia Rock Day
Jul 06 – Madrid, ESP at Mad Cool Festival
Jul 08 – Glasgow, UK at TRNSMT Festival
Jul 09 – Cheltenham, UK at 2000trees Music Festival
Jul 28-31 – Chicago, IL at Lollapalooza

^supporting Wallows
+support from Alex Lahey

06/14 Crawlers at 7th St Entry

06/14/2022 Tuesday

Crawlers
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

We love British bands, so we’re very excited to see that Liverpool rock band Crawlers will be headlining the 7th Street Entry this June 14.

If you haven’t kept up, the young band, featuring Holly Minto (vocals and trumpet), Amy Woodall (lead guitar), Liv Kettle (bass guitar) and Harry Breen (drums), signed to Polydor Records in January 2022, and they’ve released a new single “I Can’t Drive” and hit single “Come Over (Again)” (over 24 million streams on Spotify).

Tour Dates

June 1 Atlanta, GA Aisle 5
June 3 Washington DC DC9
June 4 Philadelphia, PA Philamoca
June 7 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
June 10 Montreal, QC Bar Le Ritz PDB
June 11 Toronto, ON The Velvet Underground
June 13 Chicago, IL Subterranean
June 14 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
June 17 Houston, TX HOB – Bronze Peacock
June 18 Dallas, TX Club Dada
June 21 Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar
June 22 Los Angeles, CA The Moroccan Lounge
June 23 San Francisco, CA Popscene @ Rickshaw Stop
June 26 Portland, OR Polaris Hall
June 27 Seattle, WA Funhouse
June 28 Vancouver, BC Fox Cabaret

06/19 Starbenders at 7th St Entry

06/19/2022 Sunday

Starbenders
with Magic Whatever
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

No doubt about it, this is one of the best looking band around. The Atlanta, GA band Starbenders is led by front-woman Kimi Shelter and her her gang of androgynous rockers ( Aaron Lecesne, Kriss Tokaji, Emily Moon). The group formed in 2013 and signed with Nico Constantine’s music label, Institution Records.

Starbenders’ new album Love Potions is out now on Sumerian Records.

Magic Whatever to open.

Tour dates:

JUN 1 Purgatory at The Masquerade Atlanta, GA
JUN 3 Exit/In Nashville, TN
JUN 4 Motorco Music Hall Durham, NC
JUN 7 Kungfu Necktie Philadelphia, PA
JUN 8 Knitting Factory Brooklyn Brooklyn, NY
JUN 9 Sonia Live Music Venue Cambridge, MA
JUN 13 Rec Room Buffalo, NY
JUN 14 Big Room Bar Columbus, OH
JUN 16 El Club Detroit Detroit, MI
JUN 17 Hi-Fi Indianapolis, IN
JUN 19 7th St Entry Minneapolis, MN
JUN 21 Marquis Theater Denver, CO
JUN 22 The Beehive Salt Lake City, UT
JUN 25 Holocene Portland, OR
JUN 29 Goldfield Trading Post Sacramento, CA

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 10:09 PM in Crawlers, Flogging Molly, Girls Girls Girls, Irish, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Music Guide, Punk, Rancid, The Interrupters | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/08/2022

Fontaines D.C. at First Ave (May 7, 2022)

Setlist

In ár gCroíthe go deo
A Lucid Dream
Hurricane Laughter
Sha Sha Sha
Roman Holiday
I Don't Belong
Chequeless Reckless
Televised Mind
Nabokov
You Said
Too Real
How Cold Love Is
I Love You
A Hero's Death

-- Encore --
Skinty Fia
Boys in the Better Land
Jackie Down the Line

Read More

Fontaines D.C.

The last twelve months have seen Fontaines D.C. release four hotly received double A-side singles, all of which were named as singles of the week by Rough Trade, and garnered early support from the likes ...

Fontaines D.C., in town, promoting their third album Skinty Fia, were welcomed by packed, revel-filled crowd. Irish bands are always well attended in the Twin Cities, but there was almost a pre-show electric vibe, as if two years of waiting was soon to come to an end.

But first was the opening act, Just Mustard, also Irish, a five member band from Dundalk, playing a seven-song set with a propulsive drum/bass beat and droning guitars laying a wall of distortion for the lead singer, Katie Ball, to blithely sing with an airy breeze above the wailing howl. It was bracing and sweet, all at once.

Then Fontaines D.C. took the stage, the lead singer and emotional leader, Grian Chatten, grabbed the microphone stand and kept spiking it like he was planting a flag, perhaps setting the tone for the rest of his band mates: Carlos O’Connell on lead guitar, Conor Curly on rhythm guitar, Conor Deegan III on bass and Tom Coll on drums.

From the beginning the crowd was ready to join in, mouthing the lyrics to the first song “In ár gCroíthe go deo.”

A punk strain can be found in the DNA of their songs. There were echoes of The Ramones in “Sha Sha Sha.” “Hurricane Laughter” gleefully launched with one hard beat and note and the crowd and gladly joined in by singing the refrain.

Although, Fontaines D.C. paid homage to The Pogues “A Pair of Brown Eyes” with their video “Too Real”, don’t look for traditional Irish music with this band. Their progenitors are more along the lines of Sonic Youth and The Pixies. They are looking to bend the rules as well as reference those who came before.

Even their name references a character in the original Godfather movie: Johnny Fontane, a character loosely based on Frank Sinatra and his attempts to break into the film industry. (The D.C. references the group’s musical Dublin home.)

Whether a horse played into Fontaines DC current unbridled success, an ancient deer is referenced in the title of their third album. The Irish term Skinty Fia roughly translates into “The damnation of the deer.” Coll’s great aunt who only spoke the Irish tongue would spew the Irish Oath when an Irish Oath was needed and the band thought it made perfect sense as an album title.

A love of poetry is what brought this band together when they met at college and it’s the lyrics where this band really sets itself apart. Not very many bands are going to reference literary giants like James Joyce and Vladimir Nabokov or create such effusively depressing lyrics found in “Roman Holiday” and “Jackie Down the Line”, songs which brought the crowd surging towards the stage.

And in their lies the soul of their Irish roots or as Chatten best explained the contradiction to Lizzie Manno in a Paste interview:

We’re from the Liberties. [Dublin neighborhood] It’s relatively rough, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. It’s kind of at the edge of the gentrification strip. It’s been surrounded by a dying culture that’s really potent inspiration. There’s a harshness as well. There’s drug use. At the same time, everybody’s so friendly. It’s a combination of friendliness and harshness that’s really inspiring.

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 10:40 PM in First Avenue, Fontaines DC, Irish, Minneapolis, Punk | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/26/2022

Circle Jerks at First Avenue, Minneapolis (24 Mar 2022)

Circle Jerks with 7 Seconds and Negative Approach at First Avenue

Circle Jerks Setlist

Deny Everything
Letterbomb
In Your Eyes
Stars and Stripes
Back Against the Wall
Behind the Door
I Just Want Some Skank
Beverly Hills
When the Shit Hits the Fan
Under the Gun
Trapped
Coup d'état
Wild in the Streets (Garland Jeffreys cover)
Moral Majority
Don't Care

Live Fast Die Young
Paid Vacation
Junk Mail
Parade of the Horribles
Casualty Vampire
I, I & I
Leave Me Alone
I Don't
The Crowd
Beat Me Senseless
World Up My Ass
Operation
Wasted
High Price on Our Heads
Red Tape

-- Encore --

I Wanna Destroy You (The Soft Boys cover)
Question Authority
What's Your Problem

7Seconds Setlist

Here's Your Warning
Definite Choice
Not Just Boys Fun
This Is the Angry
Y.P.H.
New Wind
We're Gonna Fight
Tied Up in Rhythm
Sooner Or Later
You Lose
Somebody Help Me Scream
Regress No Way
Satyagraha

Here We Go Again Kids
Leave a Light On
The Crew
Remains to Be Seen
I Can Sympathize
In Your Face
Walk Together, Rock Together
Young 'Til I Die
Colourblind
Still Believe
99 Red Balloons (Nena cover)

Negative Approach Setlist

Hypocrite
Whatever I Do
Why Be Something That You're Not
Pressure
Fair Warning
Can't Tell No One
Sick of Talk
Evacuate
Said and Done
Dead Stop
Live Your Life

Ready to Fight
Your Mistake
Genocide
Nothing
Borstal Breakout (Sham 69 cover)
Negative Approach
Tied Down
Friend or Foe
I'll Survive
Lead Song
I Got a Right (Iggy and The Stooges cover)

Read More

Circle Jerks

When I was a radio DJ in the early ‘90s, The Circle Jerks were already an old, established band. That’s why, especially in 2022, that it’s amazing to see the Southern California hardcore punk band is going strong. .…

7Seconds

Kevin Seconds is the founding member and lead singer for the 80s punk band 7 Seconds, who had their moment in the sun when they were signed to Sony Records in the mid-90s. .…

Legendary hardcore punk band Circle Jerks is celebrating their 40th Anniversary with this 2022 tour, stopping by First Avenue in Minneapolis on March 24th.

The line to get into the venue stretched a block. Once in the venue, the dance floor was very packed. If the show wasn’t sold out, it sure felt like it was close to selling out.

With these shows, it’s great to see so many older 50-60 year old punks/fans going to their first punk shows in many years. Some of them were in wheelchairs, some of them needed walkers, but they didn’t let their disabilities stopped them from seeing these bands live. Sure, there were the young kids in the mosh pit … and when I say young, I mean they’re in their 30s.

First on the bill was Detroit’s Negative Approach, famous for pioneering hardcore punk in the midwest. The band originally broke up in 1984, but later reformed in 2006 for touring on and off.

I felt they were a great starting band, getting the crowd moving and slam dancing. Singer John Brannon may be the nicest guy, but on stage, it felt like he had great anger inside him. He had little to say, but when he does, it’s “Thanks, man, for coming out early.”

They ended their set with a cover of Iggy and the Stooges’ “I Got a Right”, which made sense, as NA have based their music on The Stooges.

Next up was 7 Seconds (stylized as 7Seconds), who actually started playing “Here's Your Warning” before the curtains even came up!

I have mentioned previously that we saw Kevin Seconds at NXNE in June 2011 and admitted that his solo shows are, “Kevin’s live show was understandably a little less than hardcore punk, and I am assuming he did material from his solo work. He sure seem to have a lot of stories about being his travels and his experiences and he generally was happy to be back in Toronto (apparently his band have come through town many times).”

Now, having experienced 7Seconds (featuring brothers Kevin and Steve Youth, drummer Troy Mowat, and guitarist Bobby Adams) live, it’s definitely a night and day difference between Kevin’s solo shows vs a plugged in hardcore punk band. Everything’s louder, and Kevin is singing harder… so hard that he blew out his voice on the first week of this reunion tour. You have to forgive Kevin, you see, he said the band was actually enjoying retirement. But then the Circle Jerks asked them to go on tour, and they simply could not refused.

The First Avenue show was also a special one, as it was Kevin’s birthday. Negative Approach bought him cupcakes, while Circle Jerks bought him Cinnabons. It sounds like Kevin has a sweet tooth.

They ended their set with Nena’s “99 Red Balloons”, in their punk style. The German song is about a family who released 99 red balloons that flew over the Berlin walls and caused the Soviets to start a war. The 80s song is oddly reflective of the current Putin’s war.

Circle Jerks walked on stage after a full song of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass’ “Love Potion No. 9” was played. The song was played to illustrate just how different the “muzak”/elevator music/jazz song is to what the Circle Jerks were producing at the time. What is odd is that the Circle Jerks and Herb Alpert were on the same A&M Record Label.

What else can I say about the Circle Jerks? The group was originally founded by Black Flag’s singer Keith Morris with Redd Kross’ guitarist Greg Hetson. Their 1980 album, Group Sex, forever changed the landscape of the hardcore punk genre. The band broke up in 1990, but they reformed on and off throughout the years. It wasn’t until 2019 that the band had a full reunion and wanted to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Group Sex with a massive tour in2020. Of course,the pandemic happened… so they had to postponed the anniversary tour.

So, this new 2022 tour meant that they were not only celebrating Group Sex (42th Anniversary), but they were also celebrating Wild in the Streets, as that album turned 40 this year.

For this tour, they put together 33 songs, and some were blocks of four or five songs from each of their five albums.

Between the blocks of songs, Morris had a lot to say about how they were signed to a major label. About how their label hated them, and they always wanted to drop the band. To be fair, no one thought they belonged on a major label… but at least it did help spread their music to radio station.

At the tender age of 66, Morris was still moving and dancing and screaming out the lyrics. I can’t help but think that we were very lucky to have them back on this Anniversary tour… as it may be the last time we see them.

Remaining tour dates:

03/26: St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI !
03/28: Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY !
03/29: Mr. Smalls - Pittsburgh, PA !
03/30: House of Blues - Cleveland, OG !
04/01: Phoenix Theatre - Toronto, ON *
04/02: Corona Theatre - Montreal, QC *
04/03: L’Imperial Bell - Quebec City, QC *
04/05: Higher Ground - Burlington, VT !
04/07: Paradise - Boston, MA !
04/08: Stone Pony - Asbury Park, NJ !
04/09: TLA - Philadelphia, PA !
04/11: Sherman Theater - Stroudsburg, PA !
04/12: Paradise - Boston, MA !
04/14: Irving Plaza - NYC, NY !
04/16: Black Cat - Washington DC !
04/19: Orange Peel - Asheville, NC !
04/21: Brooklyn Bowl - Nashville, TN !
04/22: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA !
04/23: New Orleans, LA !
04/26: Mohawk - Austin, TX !
04/29: Paper Tiger - San Antonio, TX !
04/30: White Oak - Houston, TX !
05/01: Granada Theater - Dallas, TX !
05/13: Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA !^
06/22: Sunshine Theatre - Albuquerque, NM #
06/24: Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ #
06/25: Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ #
07/03: Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC

# w/ Adolescents & Negative Approach
! w/ 7SECONDS & Negative Approach
^ w/ The Bouncing Souls
* w/ 7Seconds

Negative Approach

7Seconds

Circle Jerks

Circle Jerks at First Avenue (24 Mar 2022)

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 08:52 PM in 7 Seconds, Circle Jerks, First Avenue, Minneapolis, Punk, Redd Kross | Permalink | Comments (0)

03/08/2022

All My Life's a Circle

“All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown.
The moon rolls through the night time
Until the daybreak comes around.”

- Harry Chapin

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide

03/24 Circle Jerks with 7 Seconds and Negative Approach at First Avenue

Read More

7Seconds

Kevin Seconds is the founding member and lead singer for the 80s punk band 7 Seconds, who had their moment in the sun when they were signed to Sony Records in the mid-90s. .…

03/24/2022 Thursday

Circle Jerks
with 7 Seconds and Negative Approach
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

When I was a radio DJ in the early ‘90s, The Circle Jerks were already an old, established band. That’s why, especially in 2022, that it’s amazing to see the Southern California hardcore punk band is going strong. They’ve just remastered their album on all formats through Trust Records and are in the middle of a national tour.

The special 40th Anniversary Tour will receive support from Negative Approach, Adolescents, and 7Seconds. I am especially interested in see 7Seconds, as I saw Kevin Seconds in NXNE 2011… but it simply wasn’t the same as having the original band. For that reason, it’s quite special to see that 7Seconds have reunited for the first time in over five years.

Fans of ‘80s punk music need to attend this show… this might be your last chance.

Tour dates:

03/04: Sessions Music Hall - Eugene, OR #
03/05: Showbox SODO - Seattle, WA #
03/06: Roseland - Portland, OR #
03/17: Grand Room Complex - Salt Lake CIty, UT !
03/18: Black Sheep - Colorado Springs, CO !
03/19: Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO !
03/21: Granada - Lawrence, KS !
03/22: Red Flag - St. Louis, MO !
03/24: First Ave - Minneapolis, MN !
03/25: The Vic - Chicago, IL !
03/26: St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI !
03/28: Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY !
03/29: Mr. Smalls - Pittsburgh, PA !
03/30: House of Blues - Cleveland, OG !
04/01: Phoenix Theatre - Toronto, ON *
04/02: Corona Theatre - Montreal, QC *
04/03: L’Imperial Bell - Quebec City, QC *
04/05: Higher Ground - Burlington, VT !
04/07: Paradise - Boston, MA !
04/08: Stone Pony - Asbury Park, NJ !
04/09: TLA - Philadelphia, PA !
04/11: Sherman Theater - Stroudsburg, PA !
04/12: Paradise - Boston, MA !
04/14: Irving Plaza - NYC, NY !
04/16: Black Cat - Washington DC !
04/19: Orange Peel - Asheville, NC !
04/21: Brooklyn Bowl - Nashville, TN !
04/22: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA !
04/23: New Orleans, LA !
04/26: Mohawk - Austin, TX !
04/29: Paper Tiger - San Antonio, TX !
04/30: White Oak - Houston, TX !
05/01: Granada Theater - Dallas, TX !
05/13: Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA !^
06/22: Sunshine Theatre - Albuquerque, NM #
06/24: Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ #
06/25: Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ #
07/03: Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC

# w/ Adolescents & Negative Approach
! w/ 7SECONDS & Negative Approach
^ w/ The Bouncing Souls
* w/ 7Seconds

03/24 Circles Around the Sun with Mikaela Davis at Turf Club

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Circles Around the Sun

New guitarist Scott Metzger will be joining Circles Around the Sun on their upcoming September tour across the West Coast, Pacific Northwest and Colorado. Metzger replaces founding member Neal Casal, who passed away in August 2019. …

03/24/2022 Thursday

Circles Around the Sun
with Mikaela Davis
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Los Angeles-based instrumental supergroup Circles Around the Sun announced their first tour in 2022, stopping by the Turf Club in St Paul on March 24th.

Recently, they announced guitarist John Lee Shannon as the permanent replacement for founding member Neal Casal (who passed away in August 2019).

Tour dates:

3/16 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
3/17 - Norfolk, CT - Infinity Hall
3/18 - Harrisburg, PA - XL Live
3/19 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
3/20 - Columbus, OH - Woodlands Tavern
3/21 - Ferndale, MI - Parliament Room at Otus Supply
3/22 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Stache
3/24 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
3/25 - Milwaukee, WI - Back Room at Colectivo
3/26 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon (Madison)
3/27 - Chicago, IL - Park West
3/29 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown
3/30 - Lawrence, KS - Bottleneck
4/1 - Denver, CO - Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom
4/2 - Frisco, CO - 10 Mile Music Hall
4/5 - Sacramento, CA - Harlow's Night Club
4/6 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
4/7 - Petaluma, CA - Phoenix Theater
4/8 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre
4/9 - Ventura, CA - Skull & Roses Festival
4/10 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet’s

05/03 Circuit des Yeux at 7th St Entry

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Circuit des Yeux

Circuit Des Yeux is the experimental folk project from Haley Fohr. Fohr will be stopping by the 7th Street Entry on Monday. ....

05/03/2022 Tuesday

Circuit des Yeux
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Chicago-based musician Haley Fohr, aka Circuit Des Yeux, will stop by the 7th Street Entry this May 3, 2022, in support of her seventh album -io… the first Matador Records release.

Tour Dates:

Apr 2 Bern, Switzerland Dampfzentrale
Apr 4 Berlin, Germany Hebbel Am Ufer - HAU 1
Apr 6 London, UK Barbican Centre
Apr 7 The Hague, Netherlands Rewire Festival
Apr 8 The Hague, Netherlands Rewire Festival
Apr 8 Brussels, Belgium BRDCST
Apr 11 Paris, France Centre Pompidou
Apr 13 Lille, France Auditorium Du Conservatoire a Lille
Apr 15 Dublin, Ireland National Concert Hall
May 3 Minneapolis, MN, US 7th St Entry
Jun 4 East Atlanta, GA, US The Earl
Jun 5 Asheville, NC, US The Grey Eagle
Jun 7 Brooklyn, NY, US Green-Wood Cemetery
Jun 16 Chicago, IL, US Constellation
Jun 17 Chicago, IL, US Constellation
Sep 1 Sixpenny Handley, UK End of the Road Festival

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 12:00 AM in 7 Seconds, Circle Jerks, Circuit Des Yeux, Harry Chapin, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Music Guide, Punk | Permalink | Comments (0)

01/16/2019

Riot Grrrl 2019

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Bikini Kill

I misspoke on the show saying that Kill Rock Star was releasing the 20th anniversary single - it is being released by Bikini Kill Records. This is a brand new label that was formed in 2012. …

04/27/2017

The Damned w/ Bleached at Fine Line, Minneapolis (22 Apr 2017)

The Damned Setlist

Melody Lee
Generals
Disco Man
I Just Can't Be Happy Today
Alone Again Or (Love cover)
Love Song
Second Time Around (aka Machine Gun Etiquette)
Street of Dreams
Eloise (Paul Ryan cover)
Ignite
Stranger on the Town
Plan 9 Channel 7
Wait for the Blackout
The History of the World (Part 1)
New Rose
Neat Neat Neat

-- Encore --
Silly Kids Games
Jet Boy, Jet Girl (Elton Motello cover)
Noise Noise Noise
Smash It Up

-- Encore 2 --
Nasty
Anti-Pope

Bleached Setlist

Think of You
Trying to Lose Myself Again
Keep On Keepin' On
Can You Deal?
Wednesday Night Melody
Electric Chair
Waiting by the Telephone
Turn to Rage
Sour Candy
Dead in Your Head

Tour Dates

04/27/17 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s *
04/28/17 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues *
04/29/17 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall°
04/30/17 Toronto, ON Phoenix Theatre°
05/02/17 Montreal, QC Club Soda°
05/04/17 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club°
05/05/17 Brooklyn, NY Warsaw°
05/06/17 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony°
05/07/17 Philadelphia, PA TLA°
05/09/17 Baltimore, MD Sound Stage°
05/11/17 Atlanta, GA Masquerade/Heaven°
05/12/17 Lake Buena Vista, FL House Of Blues°
05/13/17 St, Petersburg, FL – State Theater°
05/14/17 Fort Lauderdale, FL Revolution°
05/16/17 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues°
05/17/17 Houston, TX House Of Blues°
05/18/17 Dallas, TX House Of Blues°
05/19/17 Austin, TX Mohawk Outdoors°
05/21/17 Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theater°
06/01/17 Primavera Sound
06/03/17 Camden Rocks
06/16/17 Clisson, France Hellfest
07/07/17 Exit Festival

* w/ Bleached
° w/ The BellRays

Read More

The Damned

Legendary English punk/rock band The Damned is celebrating their 40th Anniversary with an upcoming U.S. tour. Since the influential band don’t really make their way to Minneapolis …

Bleached

Next up was Bleached (not to be confused with Christian band Bleach). The first time we saw them (and probably their first Minneapolis show?) in 2012, before their debut album Ride Your Heart ...

“We may be senior citizens, but we’ve still f**king got it!” – Captain Sensible

Legendary punk/goth rock band The Damned has embarked on a special 40^th Anniversary Tour, recently selling out the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis, for a raucous reminder that they are not done yet.

Starting off the evening was equally loud indie pop-punk band Bleached, who we’d seen just last fall, but reminded us that they also played the 7^th Street Entry, an exact year before this opening gig. The Los Angeles band is actually a duo- sisters Jennifer Clavin and Jessica Clavin (formerly of the band Mika Miko) and rounded out by bassist Micayla Grace and drummer Nick Pillot and is in support of recent EP, Can You Deal? (Dead Oceans Records).

The foursome roared out of the gate for their forty-minute set with the opening, ‘Think of You’, a barrage of punkish noise and attitude and a sound that early incarnations of The Go Go’s and Bangles, would have embraced. ‘Trying to Lose Myself’ then revved immediately into ‘Keep on Keepin’ On’, a song about not looking back, or having any regrets.

The songs singer Jennifer Clavin sings are mostly a catharsis of sorts, expelling the hurt from bad relationships, substance abuse and loss, such as “I've been giving in into giving up” on ‘Sour Candy’ but her lyrics and the band’s delivery leave hope for brighter moments ahead, and the overall end result is a noisy, entertaining release of energy and the chance to finally exhale.

After a dark break, a layer of dry ice-induced fog covered the stage as keyboardist Monty Oxymoron began the set with a moody but relaxed instrumental piece as the rest of The Damned took to the stage for their hundred-minute headlining performance.

Singer Dave Vanian has aged well, in sharp vest, shirt and suit jacket, black gloved with his moustache ends waxed, while cohort and guitarist Captain Sensible wore plaid pants, a jean vest dotted with band pins and a floppy red beret. Pinch on drums and Stu West (in Frankenstein t-shirt) mostly kept to the back, keeping the rhythm always in check.

Things got started with an early track, 1979’’s ‘Melody Lee’, Vanian singing into an old style microphone as a phallic symbolled piñata vibrated in place on a back speaker from the reverb and bass. 1982’S ‘Generals’ was next, brought up to date by Vanian dedicating the song to Donald Trump. A Love cover song was appropriately followed by ‘Love Song’ which led into ‘Second Time Around’ and Sensible cheekily shouting down the few cat calls coming from the crowd.

“Anyone like ‘Strawberries’?”, Sensible asked, not referring to the fruit; rather the band’s 1982 named album, as they jumped into ‘Stranger on the Town’ from that record and the crowd “whoa-oh”-ing on cue. Sensible then fumbled for the correct term, but got everyone to turn on their cellphone flashlights (as lighters are scarce in the 21^st Century) for a rumbling ‘Wait for the Blackout’.

Things got dialed all the way back to 1976 for the band’s first single, ‘New Rose’, a crunchy quick-paced song, ideal for speeding down highways or crashing cars, following (of course) with their second single, ‘Neat Neat Neat’ to close their main set at the seventy-minute mark. The crowd though, was not having it, chanting the band’s name until they returned for an encore.

Sensible took the lead for the playful and melodic ‘Silly Kids Games’ asking the crowd after if they wanted another from him, before he caught himself “what an ego-maniac, how’d you put up with that for forty years?!” then yelled ‘Jet Boy, Jet Girl!’ as the next song of choice.

After ‘Noise Noise Noise’ and a somewhat embarrassing Bruce Springsteen story by Sensible, the band closed with ‘Smash It Up’- emblazoned on the front of Sensible’s striped long sleeve shirt, but the audience made to wait until late to hear it.

Wanting even more, the band was coxed out for a second encore culminating in a hard driving ‘Anti Pope’ from 1979, with Sensible dedicating the entire set at the end to Prince, “We’ll never see the likes of him again!” he said in sincere reverence, even trying out a verse of ‘Manic Monday’ before dashing off stage.

With forty years of music and history behind them, The Damned brought a diverse crowd of fans out to celebrate with them- punks, goths, bikers, baby boomers, Gen X and Y-ers, Brit ex-pats, curious millennials, and more—an obvious sign, that they do, in fact, “still f**king got it”.