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| Dave Hause, Against Me! and Bad Religion at Irving Plaza |
Dave Hause made his name with his former band the Loved Ones in the mid-2000s. The Philly-based punk band enjoyed as much success as they could, having joined the music scene post-Napster and post-MTV-playing-music-videos before going their separate ways. Dave eventually broke off to do his own thing and has had great success doing so. Besides releasing two full records and a set of EPs, he has landed opening slots on tours with The Gaslight Anthem, Social Distortion, Flogging Molly and of course, Bad Religion.
Dave has often performed Loved Ones songs during his sets, which helped attract new, previously ignorant-to-Loved-Ones fans like myself to that band's music. On this run, he focused his setlist on songs from his solo efforts, Resolutions and Devour. Dave is a touring monster, having barely any days off during a tour cycle. This has obviously begun to pay off, given how many people are showing up early and know the words to his songs. His down-to-Earth personality and lyrics, as well as a passionate performance, make it hard not to fall in love with his music.
Joining him on this tour is his younger brother Tim, who has played with Dave on the road before. But this time around, he has picked up more responsibility, adding some guitar work and more noticeable vocals. A few times, Dave would drop off the mic to let Tim's very competent voice shine. Also joining Dave on night 2 of the Irving Plaza gigs, Jay Bentley, bassist for Bad Religion, and AM!'s Willard joined the Hause Brothers for new song, "Dirty F**ker" (the upcoming album is due sometime early next year), and the final song of the set, "We Could Be Kings." Having a backing band obviously adds extra energy to the song, but it also propels Hause to another level, with the full sound behind him charging him up even more.
Against Me! is another true Punk act. Vocalist/Guitarist for the band, Laura Jane Grace, is regularly in the headlines, speaking out on transgender issues and taking a stand against the oppression this community faces. For example, while others canceled gigs in the state of North Carolina in protest of HB2, Laura went ahead with her show, stating, "When you feel targeted as a trans person, the natural inclination is to go into hiding. But visibility is more important than ever." Laura had also joked that no one would care if they canceled, but I beg to differ. Putting herself in the line of fire every day she takes the stage inspires courage in others to be themselves. Given the headlines these days, the media seems to focus on people who want to take that basic human right away from others instead of shining a light to a path leading them to positive role models. Southern fans facing similar internal struggles alone that LJG faced would surely care if they were deprived of the chance to celebrate who they are with a roomful of other nonjudgmental fans of the band.
But aside from all that seriousness, Against Me! is a great, kickass rock band and their show should not be missed. Bassist Inge Johansson and his Prince Valiant haircut are hard to take your eyes off of, drummer Atom Willard plays like his life depends on absolutely nailing every beat as ferociously as possible, while second guitarist James Bowman commands the right side of the stage. Laura Jane Grace has some of the most powerful vocals you'll ever hear, which is something I made note of during her recent special acoustic performance on Sirius radio station, Faction.
Bad Religion is definitely considered Old School, simply because of the fact they've been around since 1980. But the good news is, they don't sound or act like it on stage. I have seen them before, opening for Rise Against at Terminal 5 a few years ago. But now seeing them as a headliner, I can see how they've truly affected people and continue to do so today. Singalongs, crowd surfing, fist raising? Check. That doesn't happen at shows where a band has lost their magic or ability to move people. Their influence was clearly felt on the younger Against Me!, as Laura Jane Grace joined them on stage for "Television," as well as the number of young fans in the crowd. Clearly the need for Punk Rock and great Punk Rock shows is still as strong as ever, whether you were a teenager in 1980 or a teenager in 2016.
The Vox Populi Tour is still raging. Remaining Tour dates:
THE VOX POPULI TOUR
Friday, October 14, 2016 Warehouse Live Houston, TX
Saturday, October 15, 2016 The Aztec Theater San Antonio, TX
Sunday, October 16, 2016 House of Blues Dallas, TX
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Bank Theatre at the Midland Kansas City, MO
Thursday, October 20, 2016 In The Venue Salt Lake City, UT
Friday, October 21, 2016 The Foundry Hall Las Vegas, NV
Monday, October 24, 2016 McDonald Theater Eugene, OR
Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Shobox SoDo Seattle, WA
Thursday, October 27, 2016 Roseland Theatre Portland, OR
Saturday, October 29, 2016 Ace of Spades Sacramento, CA
Sunday, October 30, 2016 Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CA
Tuesday, November 01, 2016 Riverside Municipal Auditorium Riverside, CA
Friday, November 04, 2016 Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, November 03, 2016 Marquee Theatre Tempe, AZ
