Welcome to Four Records! Each episode we feature one guest as they go over four records at four different times in their life. This week Forrest talks with Mike Doherty from Odd Robot and Sederra. Mike has also played in Longfellow, The Ataris, and Papa Roach. Odd Robot has some shows coming up: Dec 6th, […]
Welcome to Four Records! Each episode we feature one guest as they go over four records at four different times in their life. This week Forrest talks with Mike Doherty from Odd Robot and Sederra. Mike has also played in Longfellow, The Ataris, and Papa Roach. Odd Robot has some shows coming up:
Inside Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, a replica Russian prison cell sits in the Edlis Neeson Theater with Nadya Tolokonnikova inside. Best known for founding the Russian punk rock performance art and protest group Pussy Riot, Tolokonnikova sits inside the cell sewing garments as visitors peek inside through small slots, giving them a small grim glimpse of what Russian prison life was like as part of her performance art installation Police State. Running from November […]
Inside Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, a replica Russian prison cell sits in the Edlis Neeson Theater with Nadya Tolokonnikova inside. Best known for founding the Russian punk rock performance art and protest group Pussy Riot, Tolokonnikova sits inside the cell sewing garments as visitors peek inside through small slots, giving them a small grim glimpse of what Russian prison life was like as part of her performance art installation Police State.
Running from November 25 to 30th, Police State is a reenactment of Tolokonnikova’s imprisonment by the Russian government on charges of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” from 2012 to 2013 following an anti-Putin protest titled Punk Prayer in Moscow’s main cathedral.
“Transforming the Edlis Neeson Theater into a claustrophobic cell monitored in constant, all-seeing surveillance, the space becomes both a prison and a sanctuary, where despair instead gives way to radical acts of creation… A paradox of confinement and self-determination, POLICE STATE confronts the brutality of unrelenting control while insisting on the possibility of connection and liberatory release despite it.”
Stepping inside the exhibit you are immediately met with a dark and unsettling presence, eerie soundscapes, and the hush of visitors whispering to each other. On the floor a television sits with a live feed of Tolokonnikova from the cameras in her cell. Long banners sway back and forth from the ceiling next to a lighted guard tower with Pussy Riot’s “Police State” song lyrics displayed, “OH MY GOD I’M SO HAPPY I COULD DIE,” “BIG SMILE FOR THE CAMERA IT’S ALWAYS ON,” and “NO PROBLEMS IN PARADISE WE’LL LOCK THEM UP” in large letters. What is most noticeable, however, is the red neon glow of a symbol above the exhibit created by Tolokonnikova that resembles a Russian Orthodox Cross.
Inside the cell itself are walls lined with chipped blue paint and artwork sent to Tolokonnikova by current and formerly incarcerated Russian, Belarusian, and American political prisoners, a bed, toilet, and desk with a sewing machine.
According to Amnesty International UK, the working conditions where Tolokonnikova was being held at a Mordovian penal colony were illegal under Russia’s labor code.
“I didn’t survive to be polite” can be seen etched into the wall above her desk.
The performance piece was previously featured in Los Angeles last June, but a few days in police started closing streets down near MOCA as Donald Trump had ordered national guard troops into the area with protests against the immigration raids nearby. The museum closed out of caution, but Tolokonnikova continued her performance while live streaming audio from the protests outside into her exhibit.
“Police State Exhibit Closed Today Due to the Police State,” she posted on Instagram.
A book documenting this time during the performance is available for pre-order.
Fast forward to today, during the performance of Police State in Chicago, Russia’s justice ministry is seeking to have Pussy Riot designated as an extremist organization and banning their activities in Russia. A hearing is set for December 15th at Moscow’s Tverskoy Court.
“Singing in the streets is not extremism. Doing street actions is not extremism. Extremism is invading other countries and committing war crimes. Being anti-fascist and wearing a Pikachu costume… is not extremism.
Pussy Riot have always stood – and will continue to stand – with Saint Nikolai, who wasn’t afraid to throw a piece of raw meat at the feet of Ivan the Terrible himself, calling him out: ‘You eat human flesh and blood.’
And if telling the truth is ‘extreme,’ then hold my Red Bull.”
The New Trust celebrated the release of their new record, Last Fathers with a show at Thee Parkside. It was a show filled with friends both on and off stage and this was their first show with a new drummer. Paul Haile has gone above and beyond the difficult task of being true to the […]
The New Trust celebrated the release of their new record, Last Fathers with a show at Thee Parkside. It was a show filled with friends both on and off stage and this was their first show with a new drummer.
Paul Haile has gone above and beyond the difficult task of being true to the style of The New Trust and their previous drummer Julia Lancer (Strangelight) while still contributing something new with his own skills.
They played the new EP in full and other jammers across their catalogue.
Build Us Airplanes played an energy packed set. Like The New Trust, they are also an Atomic Garden alum and released their record All Things Expire earlier this year.
What a night! On 18 November, Union Stage presented original members Ed Kuepper (guitar) and Ivor Hay (drums) and the team that made up The Saints ‘73 – ‘78 put on the best 90 minutes of high octane rock ‘n roll we’ve seen in a minute, making it clear that they and their music remain […]
What a night! On 18 November, Union Stage presented original members Ed Kuepper (guitar) and Ivor Hay (drums) and the team that made up The Saints ‘73 – ‘78 put on the best 90 minutes of high octane rock ‘n roll we’ve seen in a minute, making it clear that they and their music remain vital. Fellow Aussies Chimers opened the show with local up-and-comers Des Demonas filling the middle slot.
The Saints ‘73 – ‘78 lineup features original Saints members Ed Kuepper (guitar) and Ivor Hay (drums), with Mark Arm of Mudhoney (vocals), Mick Harvey of The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (guitar and keyboards), and Peter Oxley of Sunnyboys (bass). Stagehand Troy Purnell joined in on harmonica and backing vocals on ‘Run Down.’ The accompanying horn section included Eamon Dilworth (trumpet), Julien Wilson (tenor sax), and Mark Spencer (baritone sax). This was my first time seeing The Saints and had a great time. If you have a chance to see them at any time, do it! The Saints are playing their last show on this tour in Berlin. Find them here.
Des Demonas is DC’s garage punk band made up of Jacky “Cougar” Abok (vocals), Mark Cisneros (guitar), Paul Vivari (organ), and Matt Gatwood (drums). I’ve caught Cisneros with Hammered Hulls and with Kid Congo Powers, and the Pink Monkey Birds several times, and I’ve also seen Abok behind the drum kit for his other band, Sex Faces, so it was a thrill to watch the two of them share a stage again. Vivari’s organ work and Gatwood’s drumming rounded out the set perfectly, adding a funky edge that drew in an entirely new crowd. Make sure to catch Des Demonas in 2026 when they join Neko Case on her Neon Grey Midnight Green Tour, kicking off 8 January 2026.
Chimers, the dynamic Australian duo of Padraic Skehan (lead vocals and guitar) and Binx (vocals and drums), brought their signature post-punk sound on their first (ever) US tour and first show in DC. They were joined by The Saints ‘73-’78 horn section (Dilworth on trumpet, Wilson on tenor sax, and Spencer on baritone sax) for a fiery rendition of their song ‘People Listen (to the Radio).’ Skehan shredded on guitar while Binx powered through their set while setting the tone for the night ahead. This was also my first time seeing these guys. Don’t miss out on seeing the Chimers as they close out the year and head into 2026 touring with Bleak Squadhere.
The Horn section joined the Chimers on “People Listen (to the Radio).”
Portland, Maine’s Weakened Friends released one of the best albums of 2025, Feels Like Hell, back in October, and in mid-November, they finally brought their record-release tour to the Sinclair in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, a bit of a triumphant return to their adopted hometown area. The evening was kicked off by the upstart PINKLIDS. If […]
Portland, Maine’s Weakened Friends released one of the best albums of 2025, Feels Like Hell, back in October, and in mid-November, they finally brought their record-release tour to the Sinclair in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, a bit of a triumphant return to their adopted hometown area.
The evening was kicked off by the upstart PINKLIDS. If I’m being honest, I’d not heard or heard of PINKLIDS until seeing the lineup for this show. If I’m still being honest, I’m super glad I’ve now heard of them. Hailing from the Cape Cod gateway town of Wareham, Massachusetts, PINKLIDS are probably the coolest new band that I’ve seen in quite some time. Years, anyway. Boiling PINKLIDS down to one specific sound is a bit of a fool’s errand, but it’s safe to say that the band would have fit in nicely in the post-punk playground that was the Lower East Side decades ago. There are healthy doses of post-punk and surf rock and maybe even Stray Cats-style rockabilly. Like if Fugazi were an art-rock band in a Tarantino movie. Angular riffs and frequent tempo changes abound, and vocalist Amber Lawson commands the whole thing with unbridled camp and confidence.
Occupying the direct support spot on this show were Weakend Friends’ tourmates on this run, Nova One. Nove One are yet another band that I’m ashamed to say I wasn’t previously familiar with and am proud to say that I now am familiar with. The brainchild of Roz Raskin, Nove One is very much a concept band, a feminine-presenting yet genderfluid, retro-futuristic style and sound that evokes a sort-of late-60’s girl group vibe. Think like a group of Ronnie Spector’s with matching pink wigs and vertically-striped black-and-white blouses, in a dream pop/alternative band. “pick my petals” and set-closer “you were right” were personal favorites.
Weakened Friends hit the stage at 9:30pm and instantly launched into the one-two punch of “Not For Nothing” and “NPC” from the wonderful Feels Like Hell. The Portland-based trio – Sonia Sturino on vocals and guitar, Annie Hoffman on bass and backing vocals, Adam Hand on drums – have solidified into a powerful live force over the better part of the last decade. We’ve seen them in a variety of settings over the years – opening slots at the now-defunct Great Scott (R.I.P.), in-store acoustic performances at record stores, etc. – and it’s fun to see them now, having levelled up in every conceivable way while still maintaining the rawness and intensity of the earlier days. The light and video shows and adding layers of pre-recorded instrumentation bring a certain increased gravity to the occasion. Earlier songs like trio of “Main Bitch” and “Waste” and “Common Blah” which were performed in a mini set for the old heards translate immaculately to the bigger stage and the increased production. Given that it was an album-release show of sorts, the band blazed through ten of Feels Like Hell‘s dozen tracks, including the cover of Natalie Imbruglia’s cover of Ednaswap’s “Torn,” which was prefaced by a callout to all of the children of the 90s and to the elders of the 80s which, as a person born in 1979, made me feel some type of way (read as: geriatric).
Hoffman bounces endlessly around the stage for the duration of the set, her smile and infectious energy serving as contrast to Sturino’s growling guitars and full-throated lyrics that deal heavily and self-doubt and apathy and anhedonia. There’s a raw angst and a sense of unbridled aggression in a Weakened Friends set circa 2025 that would have fit right in Seattle (or at least Northampton MA) thirty years ago. It’s no wonder the band caught the attention of Jack White and opened at a few shows earlier this year. And with the added production, there’s the sense that we’ll soon be able to say that we were lucky to catch Weakened Friends headlining in a room as small as the 525-capacity Sinclair.
I felt at the time and still feel a week removed from the event that this particular show was one of the best – if not the very best – that I saw this year. Check out more pictures in the galleries below!
You know it’s a good concert year when you get to visit your old stomping grounds six months apart. I saw many shows at Chain Reaction in my younger days. While each of them has great memories attached to them for different reasons, by the time I was a fan of Home Grown, they had […]
You know it’s a good concert year when you get to visit your old stomping grounds six months apart. I saw many shows at Chain Reaction in my younger days. While each of them has great memories attached to them for different reasons, by the time I was a fan of Home Grown, they had outgrown small clubs. The Orange County pop-punk band has experienced a resurgence in the months since I spoke with Adam and Johnny back in February. What seemed like a few shows here and there has turned into more and made the band the most active they’ve been in almost two decades. The unsurprising part of all this is that they’ve still got it.
This year marks a big anniversary for the band: the thirtieth anniversary of their first full-length LP, “That’s Business.” A ska punk album that was very much written by a young band learning the ropes and finding their voice, it still manages to be the perfect document of their sound in the mid-1990s. Appropriately, the band played a one-night special show at Chain Reaction to celebrate.
Pop punkers Overlap opened the show. Overlap was a three-piece pop-punk band that were peers of Home Grown in the mid-1990s. With a style close to Home Grown’s own from this time, minus the ska, they were a good choice for a band that probably didn’t get their due when they were active. Their thirty-minute set was energetic, and their songs were pretty damn good, too. Overlap’s short-lived career made it possible to play most of their songs, even some that hadn’t made it to an album quite yet. By looking at their social media, Overlap doesn’t seem sure what the future holds for them, but I hope they keep going.
Up next was Mercy Music from Las Vegas. They were another three-piece pop-punk band that kept the energy going as more people filled in for the main event. Mercy Music had the hallmarks of great pop punk: palm-muted guitars, bass lines that actually move around the neck rather than just follow the guitar, and double-bass pedaled punk rock. Mercy Music played their hearts out and kept the stage nice and warm for Home Grown.
Since reuniting, Home Grown has played a few of the songs off That’s Business: “Hearing Song,” “Face in the Crowd,” and “Get A Job,” specifically. “Surfer Girl” is also, of course, part of their set, but has been for quite a while. The rest have fallen by the wayside, and this show felt like a way to give some of the other songs a proper send-off. If nothing else, it was a celebration of the band at a venue they had played so many times before.
I have the same thoughts now as I did back in May. The band is still on the mark, if not better than their initial run. Time has done that to the punk rock bands who are still passionate about their music, whether they stuck together or reunited. Home Grown played every song off That’s Business, even the ones that didn’t age well, but let the crowd sing the unfavorable lines. While the band seems content with putting songs like “One Night Stand,” “Impotency,” and “Worthless” to rest, I hope they saw the love the crowd had for “Ubotherme,” “Wanna-Be,” and “SFLB.”
Home Grown closed the night with a trio of songs from their next two albums: “Nowhere Slow” from Act Your Age and *King of Pop* tracks “Kiss Me,” “Diss Me,” and “You’re Not Alone.” Overall, it was a great night. The mood inside Chain Reaction was super positive. It was mostly an older crowd, with the kids that mostly seemed to be dragged there by their parents, mine included.
The band has been very open about this being a one-time thing for various reasons. Like most of us, they’ve grown. This was evident as Home Grown’s sound evolved during their initial run. If this is the end for some of the songs off That’s Business, Home Grown did it right. The show was full of die-hard fans at the venue they grew up seeing shows at and playing an album that meant a lot to the people in that room. It was probably a reunion for a good number of people in the crowd, but it was a celebration for all.
Babe Haven joined Die Spitz on their Something to Consume tour, a perfect pairing of fierce femme ferociousness and earsplitting aggressive punk rock (not to mention hair flips for DAYS). I last saw North Carolina’s Babe Haven in Chicago last April when they opened for English-duo Soft Play, and instantly fell in love with this […]
Babe Haven joined Die Spitz on their Something to Consume tour, a perfect pairing of fierce femme ferociousness and earsplitting aggressive punk rock (not to mention hair flips for DAYS).
I last saw North Carolina’s Babe Haven in Chicago last April when they opened for English-duo Soft Play, and instantly fell in love with this band. They have the perfect blend of punk, metal, and riot grrrl and a chaotic sassiness that cannot be matched.
Since their last Chicago stop at Schuba’s on May 31st, Die Spitz toured with the infamous Viagra Boys, had their own North American headlining tour, have another headlining tour scheduled in February 2026 in the EU/UK and have a slew of summer 2026 music festivals in the books.
The band shows no signs of slowing down as members climb onto speakers, jump into the crowd moshing and thrashing about on stage. Their full-throttle performances leave you begging for more…and with the powerhouse of an album Something to Consume, Die Spitz is just getting started.
In the summer of 1983, the Circle Jerks released their third LP, Golden Shower of Hits. The album continued the band’s sarcastic but politically and socially blunt songwriting that gained them the notoriety of being one of the best punk rock bands to come out of Los Angeles. After re-releasing and cleaning up the first […]
In the summer of 1983, the Circle Jerks released their third LP, Golden Shower of Hits. The album continued the band’s sarcastic but politically and socially blunt songwriting that gained them the notoriety of being one of the best punk rock bands to come out of Los Angeles. After re-releasing and cleaning up the first two Circle Jerks records, Trust Records has reissued Golden Shower of Hits, and the results are spectacular.
Golden Showers‘ first side alone has so many classic songs on it. Opening with the short “In Your Eyes” is the closest thing we get to a Keith Morris breakup song. This is followed by the Lucky Lehrer and Greg Hetson-penned “Parade of the Horribles,” which leads to “Under The Gun.” While each of these songs doubles in length as we progress through them, they never lose their energy or bite.
While it may not be intentional, there has to be a bit of an ironic coincidence in re-releasing the album with the song, “When The Shit Hits The Fan” at this time in our country’s climate. Lately, it feels like the written-off warnings of punk rock lyricists and science fiction writers are becoming more and more true as time goes on. The second side opener, “Coup d’État,” also feels relevant at a time when extreme measures are being taken to change our country for the worse. It may have been written about another country forty years ago, but it’s relevant for ours today.
The one outlier on this album is “Rats of Reality,” a song that feels like it would almost fit better on the Circle Jerks’ next album, “Wonderful,” released in 1985. This Hetson and Roger Rogerson song delves a bit into metal territory, a sound Keith and Greg would experiment with more on their next record with Zander Schloss and Keith Clark. In general though, throw a rock at an album Greg Hetson played on, and you’ll find good riffs and power chords that moved punk rock guitar in the right direction.
I was surprised to learn that the only single released for this album was “Golden Showers of Hits” when there are so many great songs on it. Also known as “Jerks on 45,” the song itself is a parody of “Stars on 45,” a medley of popular songs mashed together. This version, of course, has Keith and crew’s spin on songs from the time: “Along Comes Mary,” “Close to You,” “Afternoon Delight,” “Having My Baby,” “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” These are songs that were mostly seen as bad pop music then and now.
It’s hard to tell where peak Circle Jerks begins and ends because their albums are all so solid. (Yes, even Wonderful.) The core group of Keith, Greg, and Roger wrote so many solid albums, but Roger left the band after Golden Showers was released Trust has been doing a great job with these reissues. If you are a fan of the band, don’t sleep on this release. You can order the Circle Jerks’ Golden Shower Of Hits deluxe reissue at Trust Records.
Fete Music Hall in Providence, Rhode Island, was the setting as Bane and Hot Water Music brought their recent co-headlining tour to a close. It’s a no-frills, no barricade venue consisting of mostly black-painted brick and concrete, located in the gritty-even-for-Providence Olneyville section of town, in many ways the perfect setting for a pair of […]
Fete Music Hall in Providence, Rhode Island, was the setting as Bane and Hot Water Music brought their recent co-headlining tour to a close. It’s a no-frills, no barricade venue consisting of mostly black-painted brick and concrete, located in the gritty-even-for-Providence Olneyville section of town, in many ways the perfect setting for a pair of hardcore and melodic hardcore titans to wind down ehat was, by all accounts, an epic two-week run.
Kicking things off on this run as they did on each night of the tour was none other than Spaced. The upstart Buffalo five-piece experienced an obscenely untimely transmission-related meltdown on the tour’s opening night, but managed to scrape things together enough to bring their blistering, two-step heavy brand of hardcore to the masses. I can’t speak to the rest of the tour, but on this particular night, the band’s set was super well-received, as the constant ball of energy that is vocalist Lexi Reyngoudt constantly danced and paced the width of the stage and encouraged the early-arriving crowd to match the band’s intensity.
Hot Water Music occupied the middle slot on the three-band bill, but this was not a typical opening gig, as the band plowed through sixteen songs over the course of an hour. In a weird coincidence, I’m relatively certain that every time I’d seen the iteration of Hot Water Music that includes Chris Cresswell in the lineup, the set has started with either “Remedy” or “Trusty Chords,” so it was nice getting “Drag My Body” in the leadoff spot on this night. The set that followed did an admirable job of spanning the bulk of the genre-defining band’s catalog; recent tracks like “After The Impossible” and “Menace” have worked their way seemlessly into a set that also includes longtime favorites like “Choked And Separated” and “Rooftops” and “Free Radio Gainesville.” “I Was On A Mountain” and “Turn The Dial” were personal favorites, and closing the set with “Remedy” into “Trusty Chords” is a pretty epic way to bring things to a close.
The aforementioned Cresswell has served as a tremendous sparkplug for the longtime road dogs over the last eight years (editor’s note…seriously? It’s been eight years already?!?). I forget who referred to Jason Black and George Rebelo as Hot Water Music’s cheat code – Brian McTernan maybe? – but that remains a perfect way to explain their presence in the band and the scene. They’ve been operating as two sides of the same musical brain for decades at this point and remain as locked in a driving force as ever. And Chuck Ragan at stage right is…well…Chuck Ragan. He’s as inimitable as ever, and seems to have benefited the most from the spark that Cresswell has brought to the band, as he continues to push himself and his voice to what approaches transcendent levels.
Bane’s set was preceded by an unexpectedly long break as the band and venue tag-teamed to work through some frustrating sound and technical difficulties. But when they finally ripped into the opening notes of “Count Me Out,” they more than made up for lost time. There’s a bit of an emotional and musical floodgate that opens up when Bane plays a show. For a generation now, at least in the Northeast, the band have had the sort of label-eschewing crossover success that bands like Militarie Gun and Knocked Loose and obviously Turnstile have enjoyed in recent years. Bane is a force, a unifying staple that only seems to get more important as the years go by. There’s always a blurred line between band and crowd at a Bane show, as demonstrated by the constant barrage of multi-generational stage crashers and head-walkers that did not stop for the duration of the band’s eleven-song set (and sometimes didn’t stop even in the breakdowns between songs). “Can We Start Again” and “Wrong Planet” were particular crowd-pleasers, while “Swan Song” was a personal favorite. It seemed like the crowd could very much have kept going by the time the house lights came up after “Calling Hours.”
Check out a bunch more pictures from the evening’s festivities below!
The Slackers, NYC legends, returned to Reggies for the band’s annual Slackfest. Dying Scene was on the floor for The Slackers’ night 2 performance. The Slackers, founded in 1991, remain as compelling as ever. Lead singer, keyboardist, harmonica player, guitarist, and Bronx native Vic Ruggiero’s thick New York accent is most apparent when he breaks […]
The Slackers, NYC legends, returned to Reggies for the band’s annual Slackfest. Dying Scene was on the floor for The Slackers’ night 2 performance.
The Slackers, founded in 1991, remain as compelling as ever. Lead singer, keyboardist, harmonica player, guitarist, and Bronx native Vic Ruggiero’s thick New York accent is most apparent when he breaks from singing to tell stories. These mini-monologues can be about the music itself, some anecdote about hanging out in NYC, or just a chance to declare “Fuck Ice.” Of course, that last statement was met with roars of approval, as Chicago has been, for months, besieged by the Department of Homeland Security’s fascistic crackdown on immigrants and US citizens alike.
The band is composed of top-notch veteran musicians. I was especially keen on the saxophone wizardry of Dave Hillyard, as I, for a few of my kid years, played the alto sax. When Ruggiero spoke of AI never being able to replicate the beauty of the saxophone he was absolutely right. Hillyard creates pure musical poetry with his saxophone.
But The Slackers is not a two-man crew. Marcus Geard – aka “Bass Man In White” – plays his electric bass as if it were a stand-up bass, propped on a chair bearing “I [heart image] NY.” On this night, he was actually a man in black but oozed his signature cool.
Guitar player Nugent often posts up a bit behind Ruggiero. Though he can sometimes be visually obscured, his playing never is.
Drummer Ara Babajian provides the muscular and steady backbeat for The Slackers. Motoring the band from the back of the stage, his presence and talent is undeniable.
And finally, there is trombonist Glen Pine who, at times, shares vocals with Ruggiero. Pine is also the one Slacker most in motion throughout the band’s set. Sporting a blue ruffled shirt, dancing, getting close to the crowd at the stage front, and with his expressive visage, Pine’s outgoing personality looms large.
As for the music, it was a generous set, with 20 songs. The band drove through the tunes, including “I Still Love You,” “Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya,” “The Whole World Was On It,” “I’ll Stay Away”, “Sarah,” and “International War Criminal.”
The Slackers also covered terrific versions of The Skatalites’ “Christine Keller,” and Sam Cooke’s “Cupid.”
The Slackers members showed their appreciation for Reggies and Chicago, and the crowd returned the love. For a good portion of the fans in attendance, Slackfest is one of the first events to annually be penciled into their calendars. The show was reliably entertaining, and yet each time The Slackers perform, it feels transformative and never seems rote. In troubled times, the humanity of music and the musicians is a hug to the heart and balm for the soul. It also helps that Vic, Glen, Jay, Ara, Dave, and Marcus also seem to be a group of gentlemen with whom sharing drinks would lead to a long evening of funny, poignant, and wild stories. They seem like a good hang. Their shows always are.
