NOFX @ Metropolis

For a group that’s been in the business for years, NOFX show no sign of slowing down. It’s been almost 30 years after “Fat Mike” Burkett, Eric Melvin and Erik Sandin got together as NOFX in Los Angeles! The group is still touring and putting out albums (their last album, Coaster, was released in 2009). June 21st marked the second of two consecutively packed shows that the veteran punk group gave at the Metropolis - two nights of good old So-Cal punk rock.

NOFX have been one of those groups I’ve enjoyed since high school but haven’t been able to admit to liking  (long story!.  I’ve had the opportunity to see some of those other bands before, but now it was their turn. I got to the Metropolis midway through the second of the two opening bands’ set. They were pretty good, I must add, and I regret not having arrived earlier. One thing was for sure, the crowd was anxious and hyper; I guess alcohol will do that to you. Luckily, it only took the sound crew a few minutes to set the stage and do the regular pre-show check-ups. A funny note: while the preparations on stage were underway, they were playing hip-hop songs, which upset a few people around me quite a bit! They even played, “Welcome to Jamrock’’ by Damian Marley as the intro song for the group! It did quiet the crowd who was chanting the group’s name loudly, but not for long. Once the initial surprise passed they restarted.

When they got onstage as a huge cheer from the crowd greeted them. From the onset, you could see the guys were in a good mood and were not afraid to deliver low-blow jokes at each other. That attitude remained for the rest of the show; no one would get spared - not even the crowd. They also announced that they were not going to play the same songs that they played the previous night, which made the crowd unhappy. But they didn’t stick to that. They played 23 songs total and Fat Mike even mentioned that, since they had been partying in the city since Sunday, he might not remember all the lyrics to their songs. Hilarious! Music-wise, they delivered 90 minutes of punk rock that turned the floor of the Metropolis into a stormy sea of people pushing and shoving and getting thrown in the air. They did manage to play a balanced set of songs from all of their albums. I would have liked to hear my favourite song but it didn’t happen. Numerous bits highlighted the performance: comedic parts and girls throwing bras on stage, for example. Eric Melvin and Fat Mike actually wore one for most of the show; the latter got his after requesting a black bra, which was thrown to him a few seconds later.

I must say, the guys did not disappoint. Even if it was the second night, they gave the fans their money's worth and more. We even got the chance to see the guys perform a sketch at the end of the encore. A jaw dropping can-can style sketch in which no religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation or opinion were not made fun of, all with a theme of ‘’everyone is racist’’. One of the most amusing and hilarious shows I’ve seen in a while. The little teen inside was very happy.

-Alex Menjivar hosts The Letter B on Saturdays from Midnight-1am