NOFX, The Lawrence Arms, The Loved Ones Preview

NOFX, The Lawrence Arms, The Loved Ones
House Of Blues, Chicago
Sunday, March 5, 2006

Math class time: take two bands, one described by their official Web site as possibly one of the last punk rock bands “keeping it real,” another described by numerous MySpacers with one four letter expletive in gerund form followed by the word “awesome,” have them open for NOFX and what do you get? A 22nd birthday after numerous Jameson shots, a peace sign, and a trip to hell.

You don’t have to be 22-years old to know what it feels like to be in the drunken-birthday-midst of realizing “Dude I just turned 22.” It’s a combination of knowing you’re still fairly young but not young because hopefully you’re out of high school and aware of some of life’s real truths; it’s having to grasp that the last birthday you really had to look forward to was a year ago and the only cool birthday ahead is 25 because that’s when your car insurance rate drops. The only bright side seems to be: thanks to that 21st birthday last year you can legally drink (and drinking away the sickening feeling of being categorized as an adult you will).

Add politics and religious imagery to this inebriated partially depressing mostly aware feeling and you have NOFX’s new CD, Never Trust A Hippie, which is either the band’s way of mocking themselves or they’re oblivious their songs are punk pedestals for the soapbox preaching of the hippie gospel and all its tree-hugging glory.

One track on Hippie is “I’m Going To Hell For This One” so their March 5th show at the House of Blues with The Lawrence Arms and The Loved Ones will be a grand going away party for that trip. A trip they, those associated with the CD, and anyone that’s ever called the Virgin Mary a M.I.L.F. will be making.

— Angie Maldonado

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly