HardRockChick

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Rancid, The Adolescents @ The Warfield, 9/26/08

dev@hard
September 27, 2008
3
3

Last night I was an outcast.

I didn’t grow up with this music. Unlike 99% of the people there, I didn’t know every word, where the fist pumps go, where to say ‘hey!’. My outfit wasn’t entirely right either. But, I had always heard that Rancid puts on killer shows and have amazing fans; so it was necessary to see them on their home turf.

Having The Adolescents open was great. This ’80s punk supergroup is made up of early members of Agent Orange and Social Distortion, and then they have a guitarist who looks like he still might be in high school. Their style of punk, a bit darker and angrier than Rancid, is more my thing. Tony Cadena laughed about being born in the area, before most people here’s parents were born. It was interesting to see the reserved energy of this aging punk band alongside this high school boy’s guitar playing as he jumped around the stage.

Rancid hit the stage a little before 10, to a short opening video that I could no longer see the rest of the night once I moved further to the side to escape the monstrous mosh pit. I also could never see the drummer. My move was also to escape the ‘splash zone’, since Lars kept spitting dangerously close to me. I’m sure the other fans standing there were in the spot for that very reason.

The individual styles of the guys were amusing. The guitarist, Lars Frederickson, is ‘sporty punk’ with his jersey and fading, full body tattoos. Tim Armstrong, vocals and guitar, is ‘homeless punk’ with a trench coat and beanie. When he sings he looks pretty demented, like he’s sucking on something really sour. And his guitar looks like it might fall apart any minute. Matt Freemen, bassist, is ‘mechanic punk’, calm and quiet. I only see them switch out instruments a couple of times over this hour and a half set, which amazes me.

I’m not wired to understand the aggressive reaction to this style of punk music. To me, it sounds upbeat. But everyone on the floor is pushing and shoving, crowd surfers are flying around, clothes are being thrown along with drinks. The fan reaction is admirable- they are having the time of their lives, singing along while they fight to stand up. The band is also very interactive with the fans, reaching out and slapping hands with surfers coming over the barrier and the front row.

A few songs into the set, 2 guys run out from stage left and dive into the audience. This would happen a couple more times throughout the set. Whoever they landed on had to have been injured. I haven’t seen anything like that at the bigger venues here before. It’s amazing the trajectory these guys got from that stage. You know what else is amazing? That mohawks can withstand crowd surfers.

Another interesting yet disturbing thing I saw was a kid crowd surfing. I’m guessing he was 10. I saw him go up and over the barrier so many times I thought there had to be twins in there. He could get passed around so fast since he was so small. The thought of him moshing in there with his aging punk parents was somehow both cool and completely crazy.

I’ve never seen a band introduce almost every song they played, especially to a crowd that didn’t need to know the names of any of the songs. Other than that, there wasn’t a ton of talking, but what was said was very eloquent and meaningful. Lars introduced Olympia WA by saying that they wrote this while sitting on 52nd and Broadway, only having $12.50 between them. Towards the end, Lars also talked about how there was no difference between us and them.

Highlights for me were ‘The Wars End’, ‘Roots Radical’, ‘Salvation’, ‘Ruby Soho’, and ‘Time Bomb’. Yeah, I know- mostly the ‘hits’, but this was my first time. I was surprised that there wasn’t a guest appearance- Billie Joe Armstrong, NOFX, or Jello Biafra seemed like likely candidates.

Seeing Rancid live doesn’t disappoint. As an outsider looking in, I can now understand what all the fuss is about.

Setlist (needs help):
Fall Back Down
Roots Radicals
Tattoo
Journey To The End of The East Bay
It’s Quite Alright
Tenderloin
Nihilism
Otherside
Old Friend
Maxwell Murder
Knowledge (operation ivy cover)
Antennas
The Way I Feel
Lock, Step & Gone
Olympia WA
Adina
Salvation
Black Derby Jacket
The Wars End
Gunshot
Something In The World Today
Rejected
Who Would’ve Thought
I Wanna Riot
St. Mary
Listed MIA
Radio
Ruby Soho
————-
Time Bomb

OVERALL: 8.75/10
Rancid performance: 9/10
The Adolescents performance: 8.5/10
crowd/scene: 8/10
value ($21.50/ticket): 9.75/10
memorable: 8.75/10

youtubes

rancid entrance from ZNAHM30

finale/time bomb from tonyskapunk

Comments

  1. I was really disappointed in Rancid. They seemed very tired, and just going through the motions. Lars almost seemed bored. I was also pissed at the shitty lighting. My pictures from the show suck.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

A New Level: Metallica, Pantera, and Mammoth VH @ SoFi Stadium Los Angeles, 8/25/23

“Now a new look in my eyes my spirit riseForget the pastPresent tense works and lastsGot shit on, pissed on,…

September 4, 2023
9
0

Gimme Danger: Iggy Pop & The Losers with Grace McKagan @ The Pearl Las Vegas, 4/29/23

“Gimme danger, little strangerAnd I feel with you at easeGimme danger, little strangerAnd I’ll feel your disease There’s nothing in…

May 29, 2023
8
77

Kill or Become: Cannibal Corpse, Dark Funeral, Immolation, Black Anvil at House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay 11/25/22

“Living out the days and nights in absolute fearNever knowing when and where thethreat of the undead draws nearThoughts of…

December 3, 2022
8
89

Looks That Kill: Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison, & Joan Jett & The Blackhearts @ Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, 9/9/22

“Now, listen up She’s a razor sharp If she don’t get her way She’ll slice you apart Now she’s a…

September 19, 2022
10
33

A Dangerous Meeting: Mercyful Fate, High on Fire, Paradise Lost, Fugitive, Suicidal Tendencies, Bone Thugs -n- Harmony, Frozen Soul, Emperor, Mayhem, Carcass, and Wolves in the Throne Room @ Psycho Las Vegas @ Resort World, 8/19-21/22

“Oh, they should have knownNot to play with the powers of HellSome people have lost their waySome people have lost…

August 30, 2022
12
33

Among the Living: Anthrax 40th Anniversary Tour with Black Label Society @ Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, 7/28/22

“I’m the walking dudeI can see all the worldTwist your minds with fearI’m the man with the powerAmong the living,…

August 19, 2022
6
30

Mad World: Tears for Fears, Garbage @ Kia Forum in Los Angeles, 6/4/22

“And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I’m dying Are…

June 12, 2022
8
20

She Sells Sanctuary: The Cult, Des Roc @ House of Blues Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay

“The sparkle in your eyes Keeps me alive And the sparkle in your eyes Keeps me alive, keeps me alive…

May 27, 2022
5
31

Rock You Like A Hurricane: Scorpions, Skid Row @ Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas

“It’s early morning, the sun comes out Last night was shaking and pretty loud My cat is purring, it scratches…

April 15, 2022
5
39

Turbo Lover: 50 Years of Heavy Metal with Judas Priest and Queensrÿche @ Zappos Theater, Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Las Vegas, 3/13/22

“We hold each other closer, as we shift to overdrive And everything goes rushing by, with every nerve alive We…

March 22, 2022
7
16