What were the odds that I’d get to see Bad Religion, an openly Atheist Punk band with 35 years under its belt on Easter? Pretty slim but none of us believe in divine anything. The bass player Jay Bentley was in the spirit dressed as the Easter Bunny, he never took the darn thing off the whole evening.
Normally, I’m indifferent to Punk or whatever passes for it. I was a little kid when the original movement happened in the last Seventies. It was puzzling at my age but the reality of the forerunners never meant it to last directly or indirectly. You can only be noisy and angry for a so long. The punks who survived learned how to play their instruments to continue their careers: PiL, Black Flag, X and the Damned. Those who didn’t either died from booze and drugs or moved on. Bad Religion on the other hand, endured with their sound evolving. What makes them even more unique is the band’s lead singer Greg Graffin. When he isn’t recording/touring, he teaches Science at UCLA because he has a PhD in Biology. Even on stage he looks more like a teacher than a rock star. I was drawn into Bad Religion’s sphere well over a decade ago with their album The Empire Strikes First which wasn’t all anti-Iraq tunes (“Let Them Eat War”), it pondered the social injustice at home (“Los Angeles is Burning”).
They definitely didn’t disappoint live plus it was my first show at the relatively new Emo’s, formerly the Back Room. The stage was moved and the general area got expanded. The lack of decent parking has remained, maybe this will improve as East Austin is being gentrified from the crappiness I knew 21 years ago. These guys can still play better than Metallica. The biggest surprise for me was the ratio of women to men. It wasn’t quite even, more like 55 men:45 women would be my estimate. I haven’t been to many Punk-like shows overall but it’s often a male-dominated genre due to the anger, speed and loudness elements. Throw in Atheism and you’ve got a sausage party and/or Rush concert (except replace Atheism with “Objectivism”).
Would I see them again? Sure. Do I recommend them? Depends upon the friend/associate. I would have to be reluctant in general. They’re a very acquired taste. I may get that chance, Bad Religion plans to have a new record out this year.