Friday night, I went to see the Zero Boys, I Attack, Punch in the Face, Shotbaker, and The Krunchies play at the Abbey Pub. It would be the last show of the year for me seeing at is was the second to last day of the year, and what a way to end it!
We got to the Abbey a little early and had a bite to eat and the bar and I ran into a good number of familiar faces. I think I knew more people at this show than the past dozen combined, which made the experience that much better. When the finally opened the club side of the venue, we went over there with just a few minutes to spare before the show got under way.
The Krunchies
The Krunchies
The Krunchies
The Krunchies were first and it had been about a year or so since I last saw them play. They haven’t changed at all since then which isn’t a bad thing. They played about a half hour and I was really enjoying their set. My only complaint is they did a cover of The Eat’s, “Communist Radio” and I have a well known bias against any new punk bands doing covers of old punk songs. It bums me out and I’m strongly against it. Because the 2/3 of the band that I know are good people, I’ll forgive them, but I do hope they won’t do it again. It wasn’t even that they played it poorly, because they didn’t, but there just is never a good reason for a new punk band to play a cover of an old punk song. It is wrong.
Shot Baker
Shot Baker
Shot Baker
Shot Baker were second. Tom M commented that they sounded like a poor man’s Pegboy. I think that might be an accurate description. They weren’t bad, but played a little long for my liking. Their guitar player looked like he could be Milo Aukerman’s younger brother. . I didn’t mind them so much, but I did wish they would have played a little shorter set as I found myself getting kind of bored and impatient near the end of their set.
Va-Va-A-Go-Go
Va-Va-A-Go-Go
Va-Va-A-Go-Go
In between songs, the ladies of Va-Va-A-Go-Go were dancing for the crowd, making for some entertaining eye candy for the people. Despite my knowing Shakin’ Shelia for a couple years now, this was the first time I actually witnessed their gimmick in person.
Punch in the Face
Punch in the Face
Punch in the Face
Next up was Punch in the Face. It had been a few years since I last saw them play and much like The Krunchies, not much had changed and that was a good thing. They played their brand of hardcore and a good portion of the younger folks in the crowd started playing “dipshit bumper cars” (ie: their brand of retarded moshing where they randomly just bash into each other and the crowd, not conforming to the slam-dancing ethos of the counter-clockwise circle among other things) and stage diving. Some tubby asshole in a Minor Threat shirt damn near landed on my head when he was stage diving. I know these kids are just “having fun” but stage diving is fucking asinine, and I don’t appreciate some 200+ pound kid damn near crushing me and my camera to death when I’m trying to take some photos. I also don’t appreciate these same assholes slamming into me either when I’m trying to watch a show. That shit is so played out and stale that I wish these kids would come up with something new and a lot less stupid. Maybe I’m just old and bitter, but I didn’t not pay my 10 dollars to get into a show to have some dude either ramming me in the back/side or landing on my head. Anyway, the band played well, and obviously the people were into them and it was good to see them again.
I Attack
I Attack
I Attack
I Attack followed and they were as good as always. Even Rob V being rather intoxicated couldn’t stop them from putting on an entertaining set and the crowd was digging it as well. They closed their set with “Skate City Riot” which is my favorite song of theirs. I Attack is a band that I’m always entertained by and look forward to seeing again sometime. They played about a half hour and it was all good.
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
The Zero Boys finally took the stage and not ten seconds into their first song, the place went nuts. Sadly some moronic stage divers knocked over one mic stand and took Paul’s mic into the crowd with them at one point during their set. The band has not lost a step in the many years its been since they played here last, they were as good as ever and made nearly getting crushed all worthwhile. They played pretty much the entire Vicious Circle album and a small handful of other tracks. The songs were tight and played to perfection. Simply put, they were awesome. Who knew I’d ever get to see them again, let alone almost 20 years since the first time I witnessed them (which I honestly barely remember). It was a great way to end the year. If you closed your eyes and just listened, you’d never think some guys in their 40s were up there playing, you’d think you took a time machine back to 1983 when these dudes were young. Oh man was it good.
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
So the show was a great time, with a pretty good lineup of bands and a pretty good crowd (morons and human bumper cars aside). I went home with a smile on my face having seen one of the best shows of the year.
More photos after the jump
The Krunchies
The Krunchies
The Krunchies
Punch in the Face
I Attack
I Attack
I Attack
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
Zero Boys
I completely agree with what you said about the people during Punch In The Face. I don’t know when that shit became cool. I was knocked down pretty hard, and took a table down with me.
But, falling on my ass and being knocked around by a bunch of douchebags was worth it if it meant seeing Zero Boys. ESPECIALLY hearing Inergy live. That was fucking amazing.
p.s. I saw you, and knew who you were but was too shy to say hello.
Sarah you should never be afraid to come up and say hello, I’m a friendly fellow and always like meeting people, especially ones who happen to like what I do.
I just thought it would sound super fan-girlish if I was like “OMG I love your site!” Because that’s the only thing I could think of to say…haha.
awww, some people got knocked down at a punk show? too fucking bad. If you cant take the shit get your ass out of the pit.
My ass wasn’t in the pit, douchebag.
Sounds like I missed another cool concert by I band I’ve always wanted to see live. Shows you how out of the loop I am… HAHAHA
When did these guys’ get back together? I thought they called it quits a few years ago?
seriously get over your “im old and know more than you little kids” you cant tell me people didnt slam into eachother back in the day quit being bitter and jaded go to a fucking rolling stones concert if you want to just stand around with a bunch of other dudes pissed about their beer being spilled maybe you should just stop going to punk shows altogether
You are saying this to a guy who pretty much owns you in every way possible. That’s hilarious.
Kid in the MT shirt, back in the day the people slamming actually followed a set of rules and the pit wasn’t a bunch of halfwits playing human bumper cars, randomly bashing into each other and the surrounding folks not wishing to partake of that nonsense. They would move in a counterclockwise circle and they would not randomly bash the surrounding crowd who were just trying to enjoy the show. Next time you go to Hot Topic for one of those old hardcore knockoff shirts, pick up Another State of Mind on DVD and STUDY the scene where the salamander teaches you what slam dancing is and how it works!
It’s not a matter of being old, it is a matter of no one, young or old, should be subjected to people randomly flying into them when they are just trying to watch the show, outside the perimeter of the pit. It has nothing to do with age or holding a beer and everything to do with common courtesy for your fellow punks in the same room as you who may not wish to partake of asinine ritual of beating up your fellow sweaty man nor want some fat fuck landing on their head, knocking them down, or knocking their five dollar beer out of their hand and not offering to pay to replace it.
And paying yr admission does not give you the right to get up on stage and hurl your well over 200 pound frame off the stage and onto my head and thousand dollar camera, and those around me. Had any harm come to either of us, you’d have gotten a Canon brand enema at F2.8. Stage diving was stupid when I was younger than you, and it is even more ridiculous now and I’m sure the band didn’t appreciate having the mics yanked out of their hands and their equipment bashed into during that stupid display. If you have that much pent of energy, get that fat ass to a gym and work it off instead of jumping off a stage onto my head when I’m trying to photograph a show from what should not be considered “the pit”.
Here’s hoping the next time you hurl yourself off the stage, you land on your head and it will knock some much needed common sense into you and enhance your vision to see not just your portly frame, but to see those around you trying to enjoy a show or even document it for people to see without wanting to put up with such idiocy.
Wow, I think you all would be astounded to learn that the punk genre has struggled with those VERY SAME issues of age, definition and behavior since it’s very inception.
For example, I cite these page from an old Chicago zine called “Your Country Needs You” from back in 1980 or ’81:
~ On punk definition and behavior–
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/YOU/YOU5-29b.html
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/YOU/YOU5-38b.html
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/YOU/YOU5-40b.html
~ On how to treat the looky-loo’s, who come to stare at punk freaks–
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/YOU/YOU5-26b.html
AND from my own old zine, “Bullshit Detector,” from around 1981-’82- I submit this “gossip” column–
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/BS/large/BS2-11.html
Note the part about Phill’s “two-bank billiard shot” stage dive and Vic’s (from AoF) neck brace. As far as I know– Phill Thrill was the first one to stage dive in Chicago. Nobody knew what he was doing– so he’d end up hitting the floor– nobody knew to catch him…
Here’s a picture of ol’ Phill–
http://chicagopunkpix.com/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=random&cat=26&pos=-112
he’s dead center, just to the right of the girl w/the eyepatch. Vic Bondi’s in that one too.
The second guy to do it (as far as I know) was Ray from 6 Feet Under and later, singer in Life Sentence. Here’s a picture:
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=1&pos=0
As you can see, we had then learned to CATCH the diver, so he wouldn’t land face first and hurt himself.
There was a period of SUPER harmonious audience participation in the 1982-’83 period. Here’s some wacky, fun pix from an Adrenaline OD show at Tut’s:
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=15
In general, shows at Central American Social Club (CASC) were harmonious. Also, usually AoF, Rights of the Accused (ROTA) and Negative Element shows were playful and fun.
~ Finally, on the age and punker-than-thou issue, I submit this page from my old zine–
http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/BS/large/BS2-02.html
Note… That illustration was drawn by Bill Richman(aka Virus X) from AoF, who was a super talented guy.
Pretty weird stuff, huh? I guess some things never change, we still struggle with the very same issues. I think that there is no definitive answer, it’s all a matter of deliberate negotiation between the participants. Scenes go through their own “on” or “off” periods depending on the personal chemistry and cohesiveness of the participants. When a scene’s participants have good chemistry and good friendships the scene is more united and friendly.
Its’ an ebb and flow, pretty much like everything else in life… that’s my 2 cents…
everytime i see you at a show from now on im gonna jump on top of you just to piss you off have fun with that douche bag
but its not you like actually go to shows other than some reunion of a half rate punk band that found new talent later on in life and is trying to be “good” again
MT you are as immature as you are round. And contrary to your obviously well-researched belief, I do go to my share of shows, and most of them have adequate security to keep fat assholes from jumping off the stage so I imagine I have little to fear from your threats.
Have a nice day and once you get through puberty, I’m sure you’ll see the error of your ways.
Thats awesome to see they are still “living on caffeine living on booze!” (Probably not actually haha) I cant wait to see them in Florida this month.
are the zero boys touring???Please send a e-mail my way!!