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Tuesday, August 28, 2012
The Meatmen
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The Meatmen are the oldest band I've written up to date, and no matter the line-up changes over their forty years playing hardcore punk rock, the band is completely electric. Most of us have seen bands phone it in after 20 years, sometimes even if they took a 10 year break, but there's nothing half-assed about a Meatmen show. They're all-in, they play hard, and come back out after the lights come up (even though they resent having beer cans thrown at them) to play a second encore.
“I'm a fifty-six year old man.
I'm like your dad... actually,
I'm nothing like your dad,
because that guy sucks.”
Introducing Pope on a Rope
I'm like your dad... actually,
I'm nothing like your dad,
because that guy sucks.”
Introducing Pope on a Rope
It's actually a little stunning to be on the floor in front of The Meatmen-- even the long-standing Down By Law played to a pretty lethargic crowd before The Meatmen went on-- but as soon as they came out, The Meatmen knocked the crowd over. Everything came alive when they took the stage.
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| Tesco Vee from TheresSomethingHardInThere |
This was actually a more entertaining show than their last Seattle visit at El Corazon and The Meatmen's first show a vegan venue. Define irony: The Meatmen at The Highline.
The crowd was smaller than the Meatmen's ElCo visit last year, but the show was nothing short of huge. Tesco, an ordained minister of the Church of Satan, married a couple on stage (with the only marriage vows I've ever heard that included a Rusty Trombone, and ended with “I may now kiss the bride” as our minister planted on one the bride). The bassist broke up a fight (“you with the stupid outfit and you with the lame haircut-- knock it the fuck off. We're playing songs about wieners and butts up here... it's nothing to punch each other over.”) Pretty much everything you could ask of a punk show.
Some of my friends called a few gaps in their setlists... but that happens at every show where the band has this large a catalog. I'm always gratified when I hear "Fuck the Beatles" with the updated lyrics. The new chorus is “two down, two to go,” which always makes me think of Carlin: the wrong two Beatles died first. Unlike the northwest locals I often describe on this site, I'm not going to try with these guys. They're classic hardcore... either you've heard "Toilet Slave" or you haven't. If you like punk rock and you don't know them, you need to do some homework.
As a final note, it was very cool to see these guys in the crowd during their four band bill (Tesco especially) because it's rare to see someone who's played shows in five decades-- his words-- that is actually on the floor listening to the opening local bands. When I talk about Legacy Bands, the kind of bands supported by a long history and reputation, some play great and some sleepwalk, but it's incredibly uncommon to find them watching the supporting bands. That's an extra level of engagement, a real dedication to being part of the entire show, that I almost never see.
The Meatmen on Facebook
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