Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it feels like the number of places for young bands to play is shrinking. Small venues where kids can cut their teeth while growing the scene and their sound aren’t as abundant as they once were. The Center for the Arts Eagle Rock has made space available for kids to do this very thing. Along with other types of more hands-on arts and crafts, the center is doing a lot for its community. However, these programs don’t always fund themselves. Some alumni of the center got together and put on a show to raise money for them.
It was clear that the show was mostly put together by some of the older kids in the department. I mean that in the best way. It was an early show all-ages show with doors opening at five, which worked out well as it allowed time to check out the photography show they were putting on called “We Think The World of You: A Generational Photography Show.” Photographers from all around donated photos of bands to help raise funds for the Center for the Arts. Most of these had been taken at different venues all over Los Angeles. There were stills from photographers like Jasper Mann, Albert Licano, and Vicki Berndt that featured bands like The Misfits, Limp Wrist, Shonen Knife, and Devo. These were made available for purchase with money from the sale being split between the photographer and the Center for the Arts.
First up was Johnny Sinclair. Alone with just a harmonica and a guitar, Sinclair started by thanking the center for the show and stating that folk music and punk were the music of the people. He set the mood of his set with a couple of covers, “House of the Rising Sun” and Simon and Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound,” and played them masterfully. Afterwards, he pivoted into his own songs, which fit in just fine with the classics he had selected to open his set with.
Next was Animals and Children, a three-piece punk rock band. While having the distinction of being the oldest band on the bill, Animals and Children put on an amazing set that was shreddy and riffy in all the right places. Most of their songs were under two minutes, with a good number even shorter. Their set was an amalgamation of what good punk has sounded like in the last twenty, twenty-five years. Lyrically, they touched on things like politics and mental health, and didn’t censor themselves despite the number of families in the room, especially during the song “Too Fucked to Fail.” They managed to fit in a great cover of the Descendents’ “Hope” with Eloise of the Linda Lindas on vocals. They’ve been around for a while. This was my first time seeing them, but I hope it’s not my last.
Third was a band called Astatine, a hardcore band from Eagle Rock featuring Eloise from the Linda Lindas on bass. Their set was mostly heavy in the first half, but the latter half of their set switched to more traditional punk rock songs. “This Is How It Starts” is a highlight of that back half of the set. They did a good job of being able to keep to their sound. They played a pretty damn good set, too. They closed their set with a cover of Andrew WK’s “Party Hard.”
The Linda Lindas came out angstier than usual, which isn’t surprising given the state of the world. They’ve always been a vocal force about the atrocities and injustices that plague marginalized people, of which there are plenty at this point. Being involved in the community, as they have proven to be countless times, these issues probably hit harder due to the political climate across the country. Song-wise, this was one of the better sets I’ve seen from them, but I’m sure the small setting helped. A good mix of songs from their catalog that were mostly hits, but also included their recently released cover of “California Sun.” While it was shorter than other sets, they put on a fantastic show like always.
The Linda Lindas acknowledged that they had played in the same room in February of 2020, right before COVID hit, and how it put on hold the shows the band had planned for the coming year. While it seems a lot of those dates were eventually made up, it’s also nice to look back on how far the band has come in that time. This was one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while, and that’s because of the heart put behind it.
For those interested in seeing the photography show at the Center for the Arts Eagle Rock, the photos are staying up for some time. You can email the center directly at info@cfaer.org to schedule a visit. In the next week or so, they will be putting out a gallery guide that will be shared online with the remaining photos. If you aren’t able to donate to the Center for the Arts Eagle Rock, please help your local scene keep places like these open in your communities.