2008年 Oct 21日 Tuesday, 19:46

Friday October 10th was the Street Dogs show at the “Club Sound” half of In The Venue. I rolled in a little late because of work but got there just as Flatfoot 56 was getting setup.

I’ve never heard Flatfoot 56 before but being at a punk show and seeing the lead singer onstage with a scally cap and a bagpipe player setting up next to him is a good sign. And I wasn’t disappointed, they rocked! I only wish I was more familiar with their music so I could shout and sing in time with the band. But even not knowing the lyrics there were plenty of songs that were easy to sing along with. These guys fit in perfectly in the sub genre of punk occupied by Dropkick Murphys, Street Dogs, The Briggs, etc.

It’s something about Street Dog show but every time they come to town I find a new band to get interested in. They have great choices in tour partners. Since the show I’ve been listening more Flatfoot 56 and learning more about them. Turns many classify them as a “Christian Punk” group which makes some sense listening to specific lyrics. But it's not really that overt, I don’t think many people would realize this without being told. It’s just good punk music.

And I have to say something to those who have a problem with “Christian Punk” music, some say that the beliefs of religion go against the anarchist nature of Punk.
-First is the hypocrisy of having a closed mind for judging music based off the members' individual beliefs, yet claiming you know more about punk.
-Second is the fact that believing in a higher power does not contradict punk mentality. As the Street Dogs lyrics go:

Not without a purpose and it's not without a fight
Another poor kid caught up in a fire fight
I don't believe in Jesus but I pray to God tonight
Not without a purpose, not without a fight

Anyway I took a break after Flatfoot 56 to grab a beer in the bar. It’s great having a bar at a venue that doesn’t require an additional $10 cover charge (lookin’ at you Saltair). The problem is that they run people out as soon as the last song of the last band is played. In the Venue has a big problem with this due to their double booking. Shows are early and you can only get drinks during the performance, with no time to rub elbows afterward. Keep it mind if your watching a pub band and want something to drink along with it while you’re at In the Venue/Club Sound.

Next up was Time Again, another great band I recently discovered while they were touring with another band. I had Time Again’s last CD which was good but not one of my favorites. Since then I notice their sound has drifted more towards my type of punk and their latest album is great. Their show was awesome and full of energy. I only regret it took me some time to get out on the floor because I hadn’t finished my beer yet.

Finally Street Dogs were up. Every time I see them the crowds double in size. The first few times the crowd was so small it was an intimate showing but I couldn’t help feel that a band so great deserves more attention. Well the word is getting out, they’re packing Club Sound now and it’s only a matter of time before they’re forced to move to bigger venues while in Utah.

I’m probably a bit biased in my opinion of the show, after all they are officially my favorite band. I used to be a huge Rancid fan, then became a Dropkick Murphys fan before moving to Street Dogs (I still love the other guys though). If this sounds at all like you and you weren’t at the show you need to start watching the local shows for when they come back. And in the meantime buy up all their CDs at their site, if you’re still not sure their music is on last.fm so go listen to a bit.

Remember that this is Mike McColgan, the original singer for Dropkick Murphys, so the live shows are as great as the CDs but multiplied 100 times for how energized and involving they are. And this show was no different. Mike knows how to involve the crowd and make everybody feel a part of the show. Meanwhile he’s got so much energy himself he’s constantly roaming from one side of the stage to the other getting the crowd participating and he literally climbed up one of the speakers onto a narrow ledge lining the wall and sang from the rafters above the band.

Well that’s enough gushing, but if you were there you'd know what a good show it was. It’s just so great when a band keeps coming to town and every time make it better and better. If you weren’t there you really missed out on one of the best shows to come to our remote neighborhood.

New CDs:
(And again major tanks to the bands for selling CDs at $10 and having older CDs for sale too)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rqX-0o8TL._SL500_AA240_.jpg
State Of Grace

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61F57FX0C7L._SL500_AA240_.jpg
Knuckles Up

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61vN%2BppGpuL._SL500_AA240_.jpg
Jungle Of The Midwest Sea

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61wz6w-2HqL._SL500_AA240_.jpg
Darker Days