First generation Chicago punk band, Silver Abuse, made a rare appearance headlining a really good four band bill at Reggie’s Music Joint (the bar side of the venue). It was hot as hell outside, and not much cooler inside, but at least there was four cool bands to see perform.
First up was Geezer Senior. This band was basically The Geezers with a new name. They were part of the Chicago punk scene in the 1990s and were an entertaining band back then, and they still were very entertaining now. The singer wore a mirror and a mirrored mask while they performed and they played a great set of mid to fast tempo punk rock with attitude. It was great to see them still at it, even as Senior Geezers.
Next up was Püssy, which is the new band from Todd Pot of The House That Gloria Vanderbilt (which was a good band I wish was still around) and Apocalypse Hoboken. This band had actual production values. They played largely in the dark and had a projector that displayed images on and behind them. Their music was fairly diverse and at times, especially when Todd sang through a megaphone, they had a little similarity to Butthole Surfers in a song or two, and the rest was a good mix of punk, experimental, and indie rock/post-punk. It was a really good set and if you get a chance to see these guys play, make a point to do so, you won’t be disappointed.
Space Age Zeros quickly followed. This four piece has been around for the last few years and played their blend of melodic punk rock. Their songs are pretty catchy and have some “whoa ohs” that are fun to sing along to. While they seemed a little less energetic than the last time I saw them, their set was still quite enjoyable. If you haven’t heard them, check out their album on Mystic Records, it’s a good one.
Silver Abuse closed the night off with a set that saw some old favorites, including their version of “Bomb Shelter”, and a handful of. newer songs that were very good. The band sounds nothing like any other Chicago punk band, they were far more arty and experimental, almost no-wave, and that was their quirky charm. Well over four decades later and they still sound like no one else, and have just as much quirky charm. It was a fun set, and it is always a treat to get to see these punk veterans perform.
