Fresno Famous

Keeping up an all-ages venue isn't easy. That's just the way of things. So, it wasn't a big suprise when the Broadway Club announced it would be shutting down due to issues with fire-code enforcement. There was some controversy (if you want to call it that) about how (and if) the athorities were tipped off about the venue (by another venue owner), but the place got raided (by FPD/Fresno Fire/and ABC). The building doesn't have a sprinkler system to bring it up to code. Putting one in would cost close to $10,000, so ...

All the shows that had been booked at the Broadway have been moved.

This one ended up at the C.A.F.E. Infoshop on F St. in Chinatown. 

I like this place as a venue. It's small and intimate with a total D.I.Y feel. Plus, the way the "stage" is situated it's like your playing in someone's living room. Hopefully, they'll be hosting more shows.

Our set: Opening act. Limited crowd. Early. But we pounded through things nicely.

The singer from Unit F (who played after us) said we reminded him of desert stoner rock in the vain of Kyuss and Fu Manchu and the like. Obviously, we've got a little more pep (and a little less doom) than those bands,  but I took it as a compliment. I've often though it would be great to take what those guys are/were doing and somehow apply it to punk. Come to find out, we're already on it. Who knew? 

Unit F: I dug these guys a lot. Good, old-fashioned skate punk. In your-face and politically charged, F-the government and F-the-war music. The band ended up down at the park with Occupy Fresno once the show was over.

40 Hells: A power-punk trio from Atlanta, where there is no punk rock scene (or that's what they said at any rate). They don't have a pyrate punx branch apparently. These guys play the sort of emo-punk that was cool before it became crappy (if that makes sense). Big on harmonies and groove.

Drunx in Public: I left just as these guys played. Appologies.