By Mariko Obrero Daily Bruin Contributor
Punctuality is something extremely rare at punk shows.
Nonetheless, Saturday night’s show featuring Fat Wreck Chords
bands Bracket, The Mad Caddies, No Use for a Name and headliner
Good Riddance promptly began at 6:30. It seemed shocking, but the
suburban skate/snowboarding crowd would be cleared out by 10:00 in
order to make way for the line of club goers who would occupy the
Palace for the remainder of the evening. The Hollywood venue
attempted to control the sold-out show by dividing the crowd
between the balcony and the floor.
Bracket first assumed the stage playing power pop tunes and
catchy punk riffs to a handful of people. The versatile Mad Caddies
followed, playing to an increasingly energetic audience. The
powerful trombone and trumpet playing were responsible for the
crowd’s formation into the night’s first mosh pit half way through
the first song. The skacore group continued to display its varied
style by incorporating big band and dixieland jazz interludes
between traditional ska and reggae songs.
By the time No Use For a Name entered, the floor was tightly
packed. As the band began to greet the audience, a cup of water was
immediately thrown onstage and the band retaliated with insults.
Teen angst was expressed through lyrics "Everyone’s cool/Everyone
sucks/But I don’t care"as the crowd excitedly recited each
word.
"This is for girls who should break up with their boyfriends,"
said vocalist Tony Sly. He introduced "Justified Black Eye" before
breaking into the sensitive lines,"He would always try to justify
what wasn’t true."
In typical defiant punk style, Sly expressed his disapproval of
the crowd separation and adamantly encouraged fans on the balcony
to join the floor. Shortly after the song that followed, he
commented that the L.A. show was the best night of the tour. No Use
For a Name’s appearance concluded with an onstage collaboration of
The Mad Caddies horn section for the duration of a song as well as
a punk rendition of Bob Marley’s "Redemption Song," complete with
nonstop power chords.
Smart concert goers observed headliners Good Riddance from the
balcony as things got crazy. The band and crowd excitedly chanted
the energetic chorus, "Whoa, it’s time to go!" in the group’s
opening song.
The political hardcore band’s set followed with the anti- war
"Mother Superior" which questions trust, the government, and being
conditioned to die for one’s country. Most of the following songs
bordered on hardcore heavy metal which pleased the crowd a great
deal. Everyone kept up with the energetic and unstoppable vocals
that Good Riddance kept belting out.
Lead singer Russ Rankin demanded more intensity from the crowd
telling them that the previous night’s show in Ventura had four
mosh pits. After the announcement, the crowd erupted into a chaotic
mess and again, the floor erupted into a flailing mass of bodies.
Perhaps the highlight of the show was when an audience member
joined bassist Chuck Platt on stage for a "slow song" and freaked
him, as well as flirted with him for the duration of the song.