All Photos: Deb Frazin
I’m bruised all over, my back hurts, and my ears are ringing: those are 3 signs that someone went to a kick-ass punk show. Last night we made the trip from DTLA to Pomona to catch Claw Hammer, Mudhoney, and Adolescents at The Glass House, and the 30-mile drive was well worth it.
I was excited to see Claw Hammer for the 2nd time in one week (they rarely reunite to play shows, and I loved them in the 90’s). Their show at The Satellite was amazing, but their set at The Glass House felt a bit different (in a good way) because they were playing in a larger venue, on a bigger stage. They played a hard, solid set, and the sound was perfect – clean and loud (just the way I like it). Their set was shorter than the previous show I saw (because they were the openers), but the set list was very satisfying, and the crowd really loved them. And yes, they did play “Uncontrollable Urge”!
Next up was one of my favorite bands: MUDHONEY. Unfortunately, there were some technical problems at the beginning of the show (no electricity), but they finally got it together, then started plowing through everyone’s favorites: “Into the Drink”, “Suck You Dry”, “I’m Now”, “Touch Me I’m Sick”, “Asshole”, and many more. But the big treat of the night was their encore; their mindblowing cover of The Dicks “Hate the Police” (I posted a clip of it at the end of this review for your listening pleasure). There is nothing better than a Mudhoney show. NOTHING.
Finally, The Adolescents hit the stage, and we got hit with a magnitude 9.5 punk rock earthquake. They played an awesome, loud, super fun set. Tony Adolescent always brings it, the band was on fire, and they gave us all the classics: “Word Attack”, “Amoeba”, “Brats in Battalions”, “Kids of the Black Hole”, “Rip It Up”, etc. A great, rowdy, loud, sweaty show! After the show, we went backstage, said hello to everyone, then Tony followed me and my friend Martin Wong (of the “Save Music in Chinatown” benefit shows) and his family over to Donut Man in Glendora for some delicious donuts. A perfect evening.
This triple-whammy show was just what this punk needed – I feel revitalized!
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- Mudhoney. Photo by Elise Thompson.
spot on, and you’re right, there is NOTHING better than a Mudhoney show
Another Mudhoney fact: They’ve never recorded a bad album!
And after the usual 3 songs; no flash a bunch of us were at the side of the stage and Tony said, “My friends can come up here and take my picture! Come up here!” So the bouncers let us back in the pit and I was right in Tony’s face for the rest of the night, so he may have regretted saying that. He is so fucking punk!!!
I opted to stay in the front row – i couldn’t get a good shot in the pit – the stage was WAY too high. Glad I stayed where I was at. Just wish I’d had my 35 mm lens – the one I had was awful 🙁