Photo Gallery: The Linda Lindas at Metro • Chicago

Brassneck | April 14, 2025

The Linda Lindas

April 13, 2025

Metro

Chicago

Recap and photos by Curt Baran

The web and social media have become a quasi-American Idol lottery. It has created a portal for musicians to get their music exposed, but the traffic and sheer volume of products make it nearly impossible to break through.

In 2021, The Linda Lindas, a punk-pop quartet from Los Angeles, dropped the single “Racist, Sexist Boy,” and suddenly, the online community couldn’t get enough. They almost immediately found themselves with a record deal (via Epitaph) and a never-ending supply of choice opening slots for headliners like Green Day and invites to perform at major festivals (including Lollapalooza).

So when the foursome booked a tour supporting their 2024 release No Obligation, their Chicago date, announced initially at Bottom Lounge, sold out so quickly that it would ultimately have to be moved to the legendary (and considerably larger) Metro.

Seizing on the opportunity, the band attacked their 19-song set with the kind of fury that only youth can bring. And don’t be fooled; they may be newbies, but they deliver like lifers. They even threw out some red meat for the parents who brought their younger children by way of Talking Heads (“Found A Job) and Bikini Kill (“Rebel Girl”) covers. Not unlike a Pixar film, they delivered the goods to their core audience but also saved a few for the parental, designated drivers.