Black Fag 5 year anniversary Show with Panties, Henchmen21 and The Shrooms – at The Blvd Cafe – Los Angeles, CA

It's a Friday night, there is an electric feeling in the humid atmosphere at The Blvd. Pushing through the dense crowd, one can sense it is only going to get more rowdy as the night carries on. Its Black Fags 5 year anniversary show and the small space surrounding the bar at The Blvd has heavy foot traffic from both the outside patio and the stage.The crowd is abuzz with anticipation for what is expected to be a truly fabulous night of performances.

The night kicked off with The Shrooms who put on a solid set. Next up was Henchmen21 whose performance definitely got he crowd revved up. Their music was loud, fast,and punchy, everything I want to hear in a band. It seemed that  with every band the crowd got bigger and bigger. Up next was LA based metal band Panties. I was impressed by their musicianship and perhaps mesmerized by the way the rather large pair of panties they had draped over the drum set danced around with every kick of the bass drum.

They brought the energy level of the crowd up and delivered a incendiary set. It was just the right appetizer before the main course that was Black Fag.

Black Fag consists of Liberace Morris on vocals, Greg Streisand on guitar, Cher "The Dyke" Dykeowski on bass, Robo Simmons on Drums and feature back up dancers Bugger and Raymond Pettiboner. As they take the stage and begin to set up the crowd dissipates away from the bar and patio and fills the main room at The Blvd. They start the show with Slip It In and the audience responds almost instantly with movement.

One member of the crowd pogo's in place while another sings along with a mile wide grin on their face. Just when you're deciding wether or not to make that first uncertain push that incites a pit someone else beats you to it.

Front man Liberace Morris updates the crowd on current events such as Elizabeth Taylors passing and Charlie Sheens Winning attitude. The obligatory sweaty shirtless man pitting too hard for his own good graces everyone with his presence during Wasted.

Everyone is singing and slamming to their hearts content. Its clear that audience participation is a huge factor at these shows. Some members even rise to the occasion and dress drag for the show. They spice it up with mash-ups of Six Pack and The B-52's Rock Lobster, at which point the Bugger and Raymond Pettiboner don beehive wigs and opera length satin gloves. The Damaged/ Holla Back Girl mash up was hilarious but my favorite had to be Tmz Party Tonight.

I had the chance to catch Liberace Morris on the phone while he was taking a bubble bath. We chit chat as he recalls some of the more memorable shows in the 5 years past. He tells me about one of the first shows they played during Punk Rock Bowling 2007. Black Fag opened up for Me First and The Gimme Gimme's that year and later joined their tour as a supporting act. He also details a show they played with Bro-Loaf at The Rouge Bar in Scottsdale AZ . A couple of especially enthusiastic members of the crowd got completely naked and stage dove onto an unwilling audience."We once played in a Paris squat, the show ran late and since they enforced a curfew the power was cut off right as we were about to start! Just then the whole room started singing Rise Above a-cappella" Morris explains with a sigh "We hope to go back and sing for Paris one of these days"

Its easy to see how Black Fag can be misunderstood as mocking the gay culture, however its not meant to be taken as a joke, " We don't poke fun at it, We embrace it." says back up dancer Bugger. Although Some fail to find the humor in changing the context of the way Black Flag songs are performed, for example; Henry Rollins. "We asked him to sing a couple songs with us and he folded his arms and said "No!" Explained Bugger "Its like, Get over yourself and go to the gym." Black Fag has had previous cameos from the likes of Mike Watt who wore a Carmen Miranda headpiece and Blag Dahlia adorned a sequin red dress for the occasion.

Black Fag is an absolutely fabulous tribute to Black Flag. They are on point musically and completely woo the crowd with their colorful spin on all our favorites. Everything from the costume changes and the back up dancers to the crowd participation makes for one hell of an entertaining performance and a must see show. You can check them out at one of their next shows with The Meatmen on April 15th at Alex's Bar in Long Beach or April 16th at The Cheyenne Saloon in Las Vegas or find them online at www.myspace.com/blackfag.

 

 

-Desire G.-
Big Wheel Reporter

                   More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 

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