The best spot to be on Friday, May 23, 2025 in the p.m. was Reggies Rock Club. It was the place to get your geek on. Geek Punk, that is. Nerf Herder returned to the Chinatown neighborhood adjacent venue. The Santa Barbara faves were joined on the bill by fellow Californians in Diesel Boy, Keep Flying from the other coast, New York State specifically (and one New Jersey resident), and Capgun Heroes from the night’s host city of Chicago.
Check out what went down and hit the band names to view the galleries on Instagram.
Nerf Herder gets its name from a little old sleeper hit of a sequel called The Empire Strikes Back. Formed out of Santa Barbara, CA in 1994, the band, composed of singer Parry Gripp/guitarist, bass player Ben Pringle, drummer Steve Sherlock, and Linus “Linus of Hollywood” Dotson on guitar, knows how to bring the fun. This evening was no exception. Blasting through a set including “We Opened For Weezer,” “Mr. Spock,” “Pantera Fans,” Nosering Girl,” “Van Halen,” and “Golfshirt.” Nerf Herder also set off something akin to squeals of delight when it performed its theme from the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The aforementioned fun is a bit of an understatement when it comes Nerf Herder shows. As was the case the last time the band played in the rock club at Reggies, the show was an impressively entertaining one. One difference, however, was the absence of an on-stage Malört tasting. Done once, there is no need to repeat that part of what is now known as the Chicago Handshake.
Oh, and of course, I had to let Parry Gripp in on the fact that I have already been spreading the inspiring joy of his Baby Monkey (Going Backwards on a Pig). The ditty paired with footage of exactly what its title says went immediately viral more than a decade back and spawned numerous takeoffs. I recently played the charming earworm for the three-month-old baby of a close punk rock musician friend. My now 89-year-old mother first introduced me to it roughly a dozen years ago (I was not 3 months old). But whatever our ages, we can all learn from the spirit of that baby monkey as described by Gripp:
“The world has gone insane
And you don’t know what is right
You’ve got to keep on keepin’ on
Get on that pig and hold on tight-ight (Yeah!)“
Santa Rosa, CA’s Diesel Boy self-describes as “underwhelming audiences since 1993.” Whilst modesty is swell and all, that statement is arguably false. During the bill’s penultimate set, the band gave a full-throttle performance. Diesel Boy motored through a set including “Cock Rock,” “Emo Boy,” “A Literary Love Song,” The Finnish Line,” “Melanie Banks Where Can You Be?” “Adria’s Warhol” and “Punk Rock Minivan.” The band capped off its set with an excellent cover of one of my favorite tunes, The Dead Milkmen classic “Punk Rock Girl.” Diesel Boy clearly still has plenty left in its tank.
East Coast-based Keep Flying played Chicago just this past April, and I was immediately looking forward to seeing the group again. That two members live on Long Island, where I was born and raised, and the drummer being a fellow diehard Mets fan, is cool, but only a smidge of why I dig them.
Keep Flying is infectiously upbeat, and a band whose every member is a winning presence on stage. It was obvious the members were sincere in their excitement to be back in the Windy City.
As for the music, it’s pretty darn good as well. Keep Flying romped through a set list including “High Cholesterol” and “Surviving The Night.” The band also performed “Stormchaser,” “Delusional, and “Death Is The End,” off its 2025 record Time & Tide.
For those in the Chicago area who have now missed two recent chances to get on board with Keep Flying, don’t strike out next time. Hopefully, that next time is sooner than later. The crew’s many Chicago fans would agree. That goes for fans across the country and elsewhere as well.
Capgun Heroes, the hometown band on this night’s bill, once again delivered solidly. Kicking off the show with a bang, the Chicago-based band knows how to engage the crowd.
Capgun Heroes’ rollicking performance was short but potent. The set list, including “Stuck With You,” Back It Up,” “Night Like This,” and “Better Off Alone,” showcased the band’s muscular punk rock.
But the band is not composed merely of good musicians, but also great people. Capgun Heroes plays host to what’s been an annual event, T1 Fest, which raises awareness of and funds to fight for a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. Frontman Joe Capgun has two children with Type 1, so it is an issue close to the hearts of the members of this tight group. The fest always has a terrific lineup. The next T1 Fest is scheduled for April 2026, so keep an eye out for related announcements. Hope to see you there!
Yet another cool evening on State Street. Thanks and Cheers!
