The prospect of escaping a crappy, rainy night by seeing some of the finest punk bands America has to offer the world was one too good to refuse. This evening’s proceedings were kicked off in fine style by The Menzingers. A band that specialise in pop punk with a nice surf music edge to it, the band were a great choice for tonight. Playing some great tracks like “Victory Gin” and “The Obituaries”, a track that references Bad Religion, the headline act that have truly inspired The Menzingers, was a fine way to start what would be a great night.
Street Dogs really kicked proceedings up a notch or two. Featuring the original lead singer from the Dropkick Murphys, Mike McColgan, and formed in 2002, while the band never stray too far from the Celtic punk template of McColgan’s former band, they are incredibly infectious, particularly in a live setting. Not really well known on these shores, with killer tracks like “Tobe’s Got A Drinking Problem” and “Pull The Pin”, along with Mc Colgan’s livewire stage persona, climbing up speaker stacks and jumping into the gathering crowd continually, they are a band to investigate further.
With a sonic sound veering more towards thrash metal than punk, California’s Strung Out hit the stage with all guns blazing. The quintet had as many people to see them as there were for the headline act. Dropping some great tracks like “Speedball”, “Analog” and “So Close”, this was a ferocious experience. The crowd responded in kind with a massive circle pit. It’s been many years since Strung Out visited Australia. They received a very warm welcome from some rabid fans at tonight’s performance, with singer Jason Cruz showing of some very impressive pipes.
This was one of those great nights where each band steps up the level of performance set by the band before them. Thankfully, after thirty-two years together, Bad Religion still showed they have it going on in absolute spades. Lead singer Greg Graffin cut an incredibly charismatic figure on stage looking more like a high school teacher than the lead singer of one of the world’s most influential and important punk bands. Playing as a five piece, bolstered by the twin guitar attack of Brett Gurewitz and Brian Baker, Graffin’s way of physically inhabiting, via facial gestures and mannerisms with his hands, the songs he sings was a great physical counterpoint to a band behind him going right off, attacking their instruments with absolute glee.
Highlights from the bands three decades on the planet came thick and fast. The set list featured a great cross section of the Bad Religion back catalogue, pleasing old fans and new. Highlights included “No Direction”, which was a handwritten request from an audience member, and “Suffer”. The more well-known tracks, such as the still brilliant “Stranger Than Fiction”, sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy. This was a sensational set for the fans.The band has a wonderful musical understanding of each other after playing together for so many years. Tight as a drum doesn’t even begin to describe how together Bad Religion are on a sound level.
What is so heartening about Bad Religion is that, after all these years, they still do things on their own terms. At the heart of the Bad Religion ethos is that stance that people are individuals and should stand against that which holds them down or makes them conform, such as the corporate world or religion. The band’s “Crossbuster” logo, with a cross in a circle with the ‘no’ marking on it, is still a highly provocative statement of intent, right up there with the ransom-note looking cover of the Sex Pistols album “Never Mind The Bollocks”, or the Ramones battle cry of “Hey Ho Let’s Go”. In a musical sea of dross, along with their pertinent lyrics, Bad Religion shine like a beacon of hope for those that like to have their minds challenged.
The encore was a highlight. “21st Century Digital Boy”, in this age of iPhones and Facebook, has never been more relevant or cutting. Considering this track was released some years ago, Bad Religion are, at times, a band truly ahead of the curve. The night ended with a storming rendition of “American Jesus”. These last two tracks were a microcosm of everything that is brilliant about Bad Religion.
This was a sensational night, with a beautifully chosen lineup that illustrated beautifully the many styles and strands of punk rock in modern times.
– Neil Evans
