To all you punk enthusiasts, a band like Bad Religion needs no introduction. To all you casual music fans, just know this: 27 years of socially conscious melodic punk rock. Along with Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Adolescents, Bad Religion is one of the most influential bands in the genre.
While English hardcore punk exports Gallows were listed to play, they were not part of the Dallas date (I never found out why). L.A.-based The Briggs did however provide a solid 45-minute set of Clash-inspired punk. At times, you could almost hear singers Joey and Jason LaRocca invoking a Joe Strummer-meets-Tim Armstrong quality. The Briggs are a great band on Side One Dummy Records; all you fans of The Clash, The Buzzcocks, and Rancid should give them a listen.
I've seen Bad Religion on their stints as headliners on the Vans Warped Tour, but I don’t really count those shows due to the short sets and blistering heat. I wanted to catch them in an intimate club setting. At the start of the show, the crowd looked a bit thin, but by the time BR came out, the venue was filled and ready to go. As the band jumped right into their classic “F*** Armageddon, This is Hell,” frontman (and college professor) Greg Graffin looked a bit like that uncle you see at family gatherings who everyone thinks is crazy but you find what he has to say and how it says it fascinating.
Even though guitarist Brett Gurewitz was missing from the lineup (he’s back in L.A. running Epitaph Records, BR’s home label) it was quite honestly not noticeable. Guitarists Brian Baker and Greg Hetson proved again that while there are no extremely long solos, nor a ton of effects in the music, that doesn’t mean it's not carefully crafted and delivered. Hetson jumped around the stage as if he were an eighteen year old kid with his first guitar.
Article comments
1 - Jon Sobel
Coolness. I love Bad Religion. Did you hear Graffin's folk CD? Totally different. I reviewed it here.
2 - Amanda Bittle
Any chance they'll swing by Oklahoma City?