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At some point, it was just the two of us and a group of Greek fans who had also learned about the event too late. Nice people, we discussed music (punk is cool), ancient history (the movie "300" is historically accurate), and then luckily, the opportunity arose to buy the last ticket for the evening, hooray!
The first band, WESTERN ADDICTION, was probably already long gone, while THE FLATLINERS were just finishing their last notes. I have no idea what we missed, but according to other guests, they were good bands. Bad luck.
At the merchandise stand, there were moderately interesting shirts. It’s strange that the band still sells shirts with just the lame logo on the front. This was once considered the uniform for high school punks. Apparently, they were all present again at this packed over-30 party.
Chatting with Ristianch about old and new favorite bands. And soon it was time for LAGWAGON. They looked funny due to their different heights: the singer and bassist are short and thus amusingly appear younger than they are. Next to them is an XXL guitarist with a head straight out of a Don Martin comic. Charming. At nearly 50 years old, still entering the stage with dyed hair, shorts, and sneakers can quickly go wrong. Here, I found it acceptable; it didn’t seem undignified, just consistent. The band, which once represented the spearhead of Californian skate punk, appeared relaxed and not inflated – they just continued as they had before and after their glory days (thanks to the punk revival).
At the beginning, bassist Joe Raposo explained that he would play today despite bronchitis – brave. Could this come from the hard school at RICH KIDS ON LSD, where he was also active? Professionalism or not, not every musician can do that. The first song was "After You My Friend", which also opens the album "Let's Talk About Feelings". A good way to immediately bring the audience back into the band's old sound. An offer that was gratefully accepted, with pogo and crowdsurfing from the first beat. Many sang along, and I realized that I could count on one hand the songs of the band whose lyrics I know. This is partly because hooks and recurring choruses are rarely found in them – things that give song lyrics structure. Nevertheless, it was no obstacle for me to enjoy classics like "Violins". Melodic, fast-paced, played precisely. The band seemed seasoned, not overly in party mood, but still in their element. What they delivered on their instruments was already enough to convince. The sound was well mixed enough to meet the demands of this difficult sound: punk without being noisy, melodic without being lame pop.
In retrospect, it’s noticeable that LAGWAGON has many good songs, but no album with only hits. A concert is, of course, a chance to pick only the cherries. And there were plenty of those. I believe they played nearly all of my favorites from the nineties, even "Mr. Coffee", the anthem of caffeine junkies. But the new album was also well represented. A sign that they are not stuck in the past but confidently showcase their new developments. Rock songs like "Made of Broken Parts" are unusual for this band but have a power that often lacks in the light-footed pop-punk anthems.
And although I enjoyed all kinds of music that evening, the contrast created a certain melancholy within me. Here was the carefree music from another time when the hot shots from Fat Wreck Chords simply galloped away; there were the dark rock riffs of a band that has already outlived several companions and now wants to prove themselves once more. Of course, it’s never that simple; melancholy runs like a red thread through LAGWAGON's work. But it will never be as it was back then.
Nevertheless! A successful concert. How relaxed one can be with so many tempo changes, how many songs have left a lasting impression in my brain, that is something special. Who can just throw out a "May 16", a "Alien8"? For the latter, of course, an acoustic intro, keeping the audience waiting for just one more second before it went into the high-speed part. The series of about three acoustic pieces by Joey Cape could have been skipped, forgive me. Better more punk rock. Was "Choke" played? I don’t think so! There was more than enough good material anyway, and one can only hope that the band continues to release exciting and versatile stuff without necessarily waiting another 9 (in words: nine!) years between albums. I’d gladly come back, preferably on the weekend (please imagine a hint here).