Photo credit: Maegan Krause
In 2016 does the world really need to see another Dead Kennedys show? The band has been back for 15 years, nearly twice their original run. Original vocalist Jello Biafra is still out of the picture and the band is on its third singer since re-forming. There are no new songs, only live records of Biafra-era concerts, and a greatest hits collection. All signs point to obsolete punk band milking their fans, right? On Wednesday night, Turner Hall Ballroom was filled with hundreds of people seeking an answer to that question. All the vast sea of Dead Kennedys T-shirt clad attendees could do was hope for the best.
The show started while it was still light outside, which always feels odd. Openers Deathwish and Burning Sons both suffered the typical opening band fate of bad sound. Spacious rooms like Turner Hall Ballroom don't often work well with distorted hardcore punk. The lack of a proper soundcheck mix-it-on-the-fly method really short changes bands. The lack of definition in the instruments got clearer as their sets went on, but it's disappointing to see capable bands look like a bunch of amateurs.
The Crosses played ripping renditions of the first Die Kreuzen LP in its entirety, as well as the Wire and Germs covers that Die Kreuzen played. The fast parts were actually faster than on the original album. Although it is a feat to top the original speeds, there's a tipping point where the songs become too fast, lose a lot of dynamics, and turn into a blur. The combination of speed and the spacious room turned some of the songs into indiscernible walls of sound. As evidenced by their sole original song, The Crosses could be a legitimate hardcore band. The longer they spend playing Die Kreuzen karaoke, though, the harder it will be for their material to be taken seriously.
|
|
So, does the world need another Dead Kennedys show? Yes. The band is in solid form. They can still rip through all the classics with the vigor of their initial run as a band. Latest singer Skip McSkipster has eight years of fronting the band under his belt, a year longer than the tenure of fan favorite Biafra. He does a great job of copping the Biafra style and adding his own touches to it. At times the vocals veered into Jerry Lewis territory, but it's a small gripe.
The band had minor stumbles while unleashing deep cuts like “Moon Over Marin” and “Winnebago Warrior.” The modern adaptation of “MTV Get Off the Air” as “MP3 Get Off the Web” is incredibly dorky, but matches the classic humor of the band and doesn't venture into embarrassment. The novelty cover of “Viva Las Vegas” might have seemed like a poor choice, but within seconds the crowd was stage diving and screaming along. You have to give the staff credit: Stage diving is usually quickly stopped at Turner Hall shows, but this time they played it cool and let the crowd have their fun. The age range of stage divers appeared to be a range of around 40 years from oldest to youngest. The sheer amount of teenagers at the show was staggering. Here's hoping that these kids get inspired, start their own bands, and infiltrate the local scene.
