It doesn’t take much to get a Vegas crowd rowdy.
Just ask some of punk’s most-heralded frontmen.
“Vegas, we’ve been a band for 30 years, and you’ve been with us the entire time. Now let’s fuckin’ dance,” Jim Lindberg, frontman of Pennywise said.
“The first time I played in Vegas was with a band called Operation Ivy. We played a desert not too far from here, and it was powered by a generator. It’s been awesome the entire time,” Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong said.
The double-headlining engagement at the House of Blues was a celebration of the legacies of both California-bred punk acts, and the close-knit connections between the city and their careers. In that—it was a bold success.
And with choice support from crossover outfit Iron Regan, and eclectic English act The English Beat, it was a celebration of punk’s pervasive, youthful spirit.
Iron Regan’s no-frills crossover kicked off the night like a speeding freight train–with thrash’ BIG FOUR guiding the journey. The quintet blazed through cuts like “Eat Shit and Live” and “No Sell” with relentless intensity. Guitarist Landphil Hall’s masterful riffing was an obvious highlight of the night, and as the band blazed through cuts like “No Sell” and “Paycheck”, it was clear that veterans—whether in a thrash supergroup or otherwise—were driving the ship tonight.
There’s something to be said about a band of veterans playing within a supergroup–Iron Regan proved that despite taking the reins on different acts over the years, there’s always room for some good ol’ collaboration. Frontman Tony Foresta’s screeching howl was the cherry on-top of a trepid, albeit brief set—his piercing vocals reverberated through the room during closer “Your Kid’s An Asshole.”
The English Beat took the stage next. From over the pond, the seasoned rockers brought a set that highlighted its eclecticism, as well as its celebrated catalog. It was a parade of hits. The group wasn’t afraid to touch on politics—they seamlessly weaved in anecdotes between songs and short jams. “My grandfather fought Nazis in the war. In my day, we fought Nazis in the streets,” singer/guitarist Dave Wakeling said. “And that fight continues today.” The seven-piece then launched into the upbeat skank of “Two Swords” With choice cuts like “Save It For Later” and “Mirror in the Bathroom” in the setlist, it was a delight.
Pennywise seemed like crowd favorites—even before a single chord was struck that night. It was obvious by the legion of fans proudly sporting the band’s surf-punk logo. And boy, this legion danced. From the furious opener “Peaceful Day” to the rambunctious “Fight Till You Die,” Pennywise’s sun-drenched California punk literally—and figuratively—swirled across the venue. The House of Blues’ floor was circle pit city, and the west coast stalwarts. Guitarist Fletcher Dragge gave an impressive performance—easily switching from playing challenging leads and breakneck punk riffs on tracks like “Violence Never Ends” and “Live While You Can.” And with a nifty cover medley that included the band’s renditions of Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me,” Sublime’s “Same in the End,” and Minor Threat’s eponymous track, it was balanced. And it was Vegas.
It’s only been a few months prior to Rancid’s headlining spot at Punk Rock Bowling, and the band still managed to fill the room (this was their headlining show, after all). Rancid’s been around for close to 30 years; they’re a well-oiled touring machine at this point. The East Bay punk all stars have an impressive chemistry when it comes to performing—so much so that it allows the band to read the room and perform with gusto. It was a mellow crowd this time, with casual shoving and fist-pumping singalongs replacing Pennywise’s circle pits. The quartet ripped through songs like “Roots Radicals,” “East Bay Night” and “Dead Bodies” with sharp precision—frontman Tim Armstrong ending each with a triumphant jerk of his beloved Gretsch hollowbody. And as the band celebrated its entire catalog (Armstrong named off many songs’ album and release years) it was clear that Vegas punks like to get rowdy, just as they always do.
-Ian Caramanzana
Photos by Aaron Mattern | https://www.flickr.com/photos/akmofoto/
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