PROPAGANDHI @ Spectrum

By Dallas Richter - Don't Mess With Dallas - 10/23/2006

The first thing you really notice when you go to a Propagandhi show is the lack of schools of young people sitting on the floor. I’m kinda sick of going to punk shows. I increasingly get the feeling that I’m out of angst.

I’ve been trying to haul ass through these Arrested Development DVDs so I can have conversations with people about it. I just got through Season One, so drop me a line if you wanna chat. The comparison I wish to draw here is that between Propagandhi and Michael Bluth, the lead role in Arrested Development whose job it is to keep the family together and remain serious. While the rest of his brethren are determined to dick around and play games, Michael must remain steadfast in his efforts to maintain some sort of whatever-the-best-word-for-the-opposite-of-ignorance-is (knowledge? Nah).

Propagandhi, upon hitting the stage, remind us that the world we live in is sorta fucked. I mean, did you see their table on the way in? I had no idea X company tested X product on chickens -- I had no idea protecting chickens was worthwhile! Apparently these things are so.

It almost seems like with Propagandhi, the message is more important than the hairstyle (Tobias) or the illusions (Gob).

A Prop live show comes with all the crunch, girt and urgency one needs to become re-reminded of the fact that music is indeed a sacred thing and not a bank machine. When it seems that your development has been arrested by sweet hair and cool tricks, dig into some Propagandhi, and hells yes, check out their live show -- worthwhile even if you go alone, cause the cool thing is you don’t really feel alone, but rather like a part of some kind of commune… communism? Scratch, community!

I’m slightly angstful again.

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