Saturday saw the second and final day of Riot Fest 2005. There was an obscene number of bands playing that day, something around 20 and the show was supposed to start around noon! Needless to say the thought of sitting through ten bands we either never heard of and/or didn’t care about didn’t appeal to Senor Citizen or myself. My apologies to Hotlips Messiah and M.O.T.O. who we both would have liked to see again but not at the cost of sleep and sitting through 10 other bands.
Channel 3
Channel 3
Channel 3
After a long battle with some evil traffic, we found sweet parking and got into the club. Thanks to both CH3 and Jon Babbin, I had my photo credentials for the evening and Senor got his free ticket. We got there about three minutes before Channel 3 were about to play, so we just made it in the nick of time as they were one of the main reasons I wanted to see this show. I never got to see CH3 back in the day so I was pretty excited about finally correcting that.
Channel 3
Channel 3
I took my spot in the barricade area and pulled out the camera gear and CH3 started their excellent set. They played some newer songs and near the end pulled out the early stuff that the old timers were waiting for. When they played “Manzanar” and “I Got a Gun” it made the trip to the city all worthwhile! Sadly the crowd seemed pretty apathetic. I don’t know how long most of them were there, perhaps it was fatigue. If not, they didn’t know what a good thing they had going and should really have been into them more than it appeared. Regardless, the band delivered the goods.
The Effigies
The Effigies
The Effigies
The Effigies
After only a few minutes break, The Effigies took the stage (and reclaimed the bass they loaned CH3). They played a mixed bag of new and old and the crowd gave them a very warm reception, especially for the old songs. I actually noticed people had formed a proper circle pit for once! I was shocked. I’ve seen The Effigies at least five times now in about the past year, so I didn’t witness anything I haven’t seen them do before, but what they do they do very well and they are always a good band to see live, and I’ll go see them plenty more times in my life (at least I hope so).
The Tossers
The Tossers
The Tossers
In yet another questionable booking call, after two great old punk bands, we now had The Tossers play. How do they deserve a higher billing than The Effigies and CH3 both?! They had a lot of people in the band and played Irish drinking songs. I’m not into that, but I am into drinking so I took that opportunity to go have a beer with the guys in Channel 3. Mike and Kimm have to be the most genuinely nicest punk rock band members I’ve ever met and it was a real treat to get to meet them in person finally after some occasional emails back and forth between us over the past year or two.
Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange
This brought us to Agent Orange. The last time I saw them, they were still the original band and it was 19 years ago! Mike Palm looked considerably older and worse for wear, but he and his new band put on a good set. They opened with some surfy instrumental track, then went into, “Everything Turns Gray” which is one of my favorites. The rest of the set consisted mostly of stuff from Living In Darkness, which was a good call. They played “Bloodstains” second to last and I was very satisfied.
Bouncing Souls
Bouncing Souls
In one more questionable booking decision, The Bouncing Souls were next. The same questions I posed in these past statements applied here. I never was much of a fan of theirs so I went to the lobby for some overpriced snacks.
The Germs
The Germs
Next up was my greatest fear, “The Germs”. In my lifetime I never thought in a million years that they would ever reform seeing as how the most important ingredient of that band killed himself in 1980. To me, them playing under that name was blasphemy and it actually hurt my feelings that what to me was the greatest punk rock band of all time was somehow defaming their own legacy by getting an actor to play Darby Crash and playing shows. Could they really need the money that bad? Now, I figure Pat Smear probably still had some Nirvana and Foo Fighter money and was doing alright, but maybe Lorna and Don needed some cash? Did they really enjoy shooting that scene for the upcoming movie so much that they wanted to take that show on the road? Well sadly I don’t really know the true reason for this. I did hear second hand that they think of it a a big joke. Lorna, Don, Pat, and that actor Shane West came out on stage and then something happened.
The Germs
The Germs
For the first time in my punk rock life I really get star struck! Standing a few feet from me is 3/4 of my most favorite punk rock band on earth and I never thought I’d ever likely stand in the same room with them anywhere, let alone witness those people recreating the music that was so crucial to my growing up. They opened up with “Circle One” and musically they sounded pretty damn good. Then the actor dude comes out and he really does bear a resemblance to Darby, except he’s not all gimmicked up on drugs and booze, and he actually sings into the mic at all times but not as good as Darby. However, I thought that “Circle One” was the one song they never should have played since the opening line is “I’m Darby Crash” and, well, he’s no longer with us, nor the one up there singing and that just seemed weird to me, and a little wrong.
The Germs
That aside, it wasn’t the train wreck I had feared. That Shane West did as good a job as anyone probably could have given that role. He didn’t have quite the snarl as Darby did, but then again who does? I sort of tuned out the singer most of the time and just enjoyed the songs. It came off a lot better than I thought it would and I will say I actually found myself enjoying it at times. I still think it is so very wrong for them to be doing this without Darby and they should have let it stay dead, but a part of me marked out big time for seeing those three remaining members together on stage and in my head, I was hearing Darby singing and not listening to the guy on stage holding the mic. Lorna also may be older than me by 10 years or more, but I am going on record to say Lorna, you are awesome and I would marry you today or at least how about a date?! The crowd seemed to get into them a good deal too.
The Germs
The Germs
That just left the abomination billing themselves as “The Misfits”. Now you may be wondering why all my pictures up until now look really good and were shot from right in front of the stage and why, when you look below, those are far away and shitty? That is because those shitbags think they are so important that they forbid anyone to shoot from in the barricade, photo pass or not. I say fuck those assholes, that is a shit move. What about them is so special that they feel no one is worthy to take their pictures up close? I can tell you it isn’t their stellar playing because they absolutely sucked. I didn’t think it was possible for them to be worse than the last time I had to sit through them but they actually sucked nearly twice as much. Jacking up your sound to the point that all you hear is kick drum and sludge does NOT make you sound powerful it makes you sound like shit. I listened to those old Misfits records more than most people will in their lifetime and I swear to you that if it wasn’t for the fact that Jerry Onlyoriginalguyleftinthebandheisshittingonthelegacyof didn’t announce what song he was about to soil next, I never would have been able to tell what they were playing, it sounded that bad.
“The Misfits”
“The Misfits”
The sheer suck factor can’t really be measured by existing technology. All that smoke, skulls and various stage gimmicks and crappy over-amped volume can’t mask the fact that they made those songs sound like shit. I really felt sorry for Robo and Dez having to subject their talents to that travesty in order to pay the bills. It didn’t take more than a few songs before we decided to get the fuck out of there and head over with Angry Samoans to The Exit early to have a few beers and get them ready to play a show there at the after party. I really hope I never get stuck at a show with the Jerry Only Experience ever again, but if I do, I’ll make sure to not even stick around for one song, it just isn’t worth it. It really saddens me that they are still able to dupe plenty of kids into coming to their shows based on their imagery alone and that logo. I said some things should stay dead and others should be made dead and unless Jerry gets not only his brother back, but talks Glenn into coming back and singing and running the operation, I’m not having anything to do with it. Maybe then they could somehow justify their “no photos from up here because we are The Misfits and are big rock stars” policy. Trust me Jerry, someone taking close up photos of your band isn’t gonna get them any money, nor take any from your pocket unless you are afraid of them seeing your painted on devil locks to mask the receding hairline and that will somehow make them stop buying your t-shirts and lunchboxes.
“The Misfits”
When we got to the Exit, we suspected a good time of hanging out and seeing Angry Samoans play, but little did we know the treat that would await us.
To be continued!
More photos after the jump!
Channel 3
Channel 3
Channel 3
The Effigies
The Effigies
The Effigies
The Effigies
The Effigies
Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange
The Germs
The Germs
The Germs
The Germs
The Germs
The Germs
The Germs
The Germs
“The sheer suck factor can’t really be measured by existing technology.”
That is brilliant.
Do you know the name of that song that CH3 played where they mentioned Billy Idol after it? And I never even saw a CH3 merch table to ask them about it when the Tossers were playing.
I left two songs into the Misfits set too. The mess they made of “Earth AD” was too much for me to take.
I don’t know, but I’ll email those guys and ask ’em.
Bravo MXV, your writing skills rule! I feel like I endured the show without the sweat and overpriced beer! It’s cool to see a show of this magnitude consist of so many cool bands. As always, I will reference seeing a few of them. Agent Orange was always a class act. The orig three members were alot of fun. We seemed to end up back stage alot. Playing office chairs with the band. The drummer (Scott?) sometimes would wear his clothes inside out. I used to collect song lists from them, still have a few. Ch3 were a cool local band, I used to get mistaken for the guitarist guy when I was at the Cuckoos nest, we looked alike. I guess it is cool the Germs (3/4) are back at it. I saw them at the Starwood. Darby did posess some INSANE energy! Hearing you bag on The Misfits only confirms my reasons why I have always dislike them. This dislike has blossomed into a full blown hate for them! Having a Misfits shirt seems to be a “I am Punk” statement with the youth but actually to me it says “I am a kook”
Good work, Lad!
Are Dez Cadena and Robo still playing with the Jerry Only Experience? That sucks that they wouldn’t let you near the stage to take pictures and capture Jerry’s suckiness in its full glory.
I’ve been peeping your site for a bit and you do a fine job, man. Good research, good writing, great photos…keep it up.
Sat night was something else……..got to see CH3 (probably the main reason I went) and The Effigies for the first time since back in the day and it was really almost too good to be true. Not a real critical stance, I know, but true. I do think The Tossers ruled and were a nice addition but that’s just my 2 bits.
I agree with how weird The Germs thing was and must admit to be a bit star struck and boggled to the point where I wasn’t sure if it rocked or not. I managed to watch from the side of the stage by Lorna and didn’t get the full guitar blast which may have added to my confusion. I did walk away with a big grin and much respect for West, that’s a ballsy gig and he showed up pretty damn well. I had few drinks with them after their set and I’ll tell you this, they were having a blast! I’m really pissed I blew off the Exit party..oh well.
What is up with “The Misfits”? That’s some of the hookiest shit ever laid down, tunes that have been in my head for decades and I can’t tell them apart? Has anyone said anything to them? Do they not tape their rehersals and sets? What is going on? I saw them on a tour a couple years back with The Damned, The Dickies, Agnostic, DI, etc and it was the same shit. How can they possibly not know far off the mark they are? Just freaking weird………Nice enough dudes, but someone needs to tap them on the shoulder and offer to provide them copies of the records they obviously misplaced. I just don’t get it……….
One more thing, it may have been a “big rock show” with “metal” trappings shitty security etc, but if I see that Mike Riot dude around, I’m buying him a pint or two.
Cheers………
hey, don’t worry about missing hotlips. we got fucked into like a 15 minute set anyway, but thanks for the mention. yeah, we left during the misfits set too. that was fucking terrible. if not for the music being really well played, i’d say the dead kennedys set the night before was as terrible.
Did you ever see the video of Danzig getting his ass kicked? A couple Arizona bands were supposed to open and they were told they could play after Danzig. The stage was taken down after Danzig and one band member went up to tell Danzig he’s a dipshit. Danzig slammed him against a wall, so the guy knocked him down with one punch.
I’ll put the link up in the website thing.
CH3 writes: Nice coverage MX–great to finally meet ya! Bill–just kidding about Bill Idol–that song is “Didn’t Know”, off After Lights go Out and on the Skinhead Years cd. I’ll put it up on myspace soon for download, or just play it on the Exit jukebox! Cheers!
The Misfits always sounded like shit live, even during the Danzig-era. Plenty of bootlegs of bad live performances are available around. If you haven’t heard a bad live recording of the Misfits, then you probably haven’t been listening to the Misfits.
the jerry only experience.. fuck you dude.. the sheer suckiness? Glenn couldnt even get the lyrics right half of the time when he was with the Misfits. Talk about sheer suckiness. Atleast Jerry sings the right words. Im so goddamn tired of assholes like you shit talking the Misfits. Jerry is only keeping the name alive. That music doesnt deserve to be forgotten. And we know that douche bag Glenn Danzig isnt keeping shit alive besides his pussy fucking nu-metal shit he calls a band. Jerry, Dez and Robo ARE the Misfits. Fuck Glenn and i hate to say this about Jerry’s bro, but Doyles a pussy too.