Grade 2 / Crazy & The Brains / Slaughterhouse: Live In Anaheim, CA

When Phinky of thepunksite.com sent me the message about checking out Grade 2 from the UK because it is: “A cracking good band,” and I could go “If I fancy it,” I took a quick listen via YouTube and within 30 seconds I knew I wanted to go. I like that old-school Brit sound, and Grade 2 does that with a modern approach to it. I was extra excited to go when I found out that Crazy And The Brains was on the bill, as I had discovered that band’s epic cover of Iggy Pop‘s Punk Rocker some time ago. Upon arriving at the show, the awesome presence of Slaughterhouse added another band to love into my ever-growing list of bands that rule.

I had never been to Chain Reaction before even though this small club has been there longer than I know. I never went because back in the early 2000’s, the word was that the staff was unkind, the security personnel was brutal, and I saw by the ads in the now defunct Skratch Magazine, that the venue was mostly a crybaby emo stronghold. I experienced none of that on this evening. The staff were very kind, the security was helpful and non-threatening, and there was no sign of the annoying and whiny emo scourge of the mid 2000s.

A date with a flat tire made me a bit late (I am always late) so I only got to hear two songs from Slaughterhouse, but that was enough for me to realize it was one of the best bands I have heard in a long time. Hailing from nearby Los Angeles, this powerful quartet was bursting out with some intense and melodically-dark punk rock with rapid fire bass lines and angry/adept guitar work. I also have a thing for female-fronted punk rock bands. The vocals were feminine, but not too sweet, and reminded me a bit of Exene Cervenka, but with more range. Sorry, I did not get anyone’s name, and I cannot find a current bio on the internet, but you really should take the time to check out Slaughterhouse‘s offerings via Bandcamp where you can get whole album downloads for only five bucks, how can you go wrong? The most recent album is Fun Factory, and I think I will buy one on translucent green vinyl. If Slaughterhouse comes to your town, then you should be there. Ask me what two songs I heard….I have no idea, but I know they were jamming and made me an instant fan. The next time this band plays nearby, I am definitely there. I might even be on time for once.

Next up was Crazy And The Brains. How is it possible this band is not signed yet? I stumbled upon this band when someone on Facebook posted the YouTube video of the band covering Iggy Pop‘s Punk Rocker. It is so good that Mr. Pop himself contacted the band to say he loved it. You will too when you check it out and all the other low-budget, but expertly done offerings this band has on its YouTube channel. Crazy And The Brains is a unique breath of fresh air for the entire punk rock genre. It combines superior musicianship with self-depreciating comedy, insightful depth, and a feel-good delivery that makes you feel like you already know these guys. I was often reminded of The Dickies, in terms of adroit musicianship and humor, but they don’t sound like The Dickies. Frontman and vocalist Christoph Jesus reminds me a lot of Olga of The Toy Dolls, but they don’t sound like The Toy Dolls. This is weirdo punk at its best, but they don’t sound like The Weirdos. Crazy And the Brains is an entity unto itself and you simply have to hear it for yourself to understand. I enjoyed Crazy And The Brains so much that I did something I rarely do. I bought some merchandise and I am now the proud owner of the Where The Juice Drips EP. After the show, I did a quick interview so stay tuned to thepunksite.com for that in the near future. I do have one complaint though….There was only one thing wrong with the band’s set…it was too short.

The Headliner, Grade 2, hailing all the way from the tiny UK Isle of Wright, which Google Maps describes as, “an area of outstanding beauty,” took the stage to dominate it with supercharged punk rock of outstanding superiority. Yes, Grade 2 is most definitely “cracking good,” with its updated version of the working-class British punk rock affectionately known as “Oi.” I did not hear any oi chants this evening, but the old-school UK punk spirit was in the air throughout the band’s entire super-energized set. Grade 2 is super tight, almost always high-energy (slowing down only for the breakdowns), and adds a hint of metal to that traditional Brit streetpunk sound. The Chain Reaction does not allow slam dancing, but at the band’s urging, a few people did the tiny circle pit thing, but the young couple up front was just as much fun to watch as the band. Those youngsters were dancing nonstop and they knew the lyrics to most of the songs! Great energy all around!

 Bassist and primary vocalist Sid Ryan is amazing to watch and listen to as he never seems to miss a perfectly-placed fast note. Guitarist Jack Chatfield has a nice, new-looking, white guitar that just explodes with expert punk rock skill and energy. He often takes the vocal lead or sings duet with Sid. They both play with cordless gadgets on their instruments, so they have free reign of the stage area, and you might pull a muscle in your neck trying to watch them as they charge about, switching from one microphone to the next, or putting their instruments right in your delighted face. Drummer Jacob Hull is a beast who plays solid and strong, and it seems impossible that the drum sticks do not break more often. I watched him as he often played with his eyes closed, and he explained to me after the show he was not doing that on purpose. He said the sweat gets in his eyes and he has to close them because it is painful. Somebody get that man a towel!

Every song kicked ass and even though I could not always make out the lyrics, it always sounded urgent and important. Even so, I my favorite tunes of the evening were Doing Time, (an ode to the prison-like emptiness of working for the corporate entity), and Under The Streetlight, (an uplifting number about ditching the past, disconnecting from negative people, and attacking the future head-on). But wait! These guys have a sense of humor too! Toward the end of the set, Sid told the audience that was the point where bands like to slow down, change the tempo, and relax a bit: “But we don’t know how to do that!” and they exploded into another blistering song. Oh yeah, they are really nice guys who love to hang out with their fans, so be sure to check out Grade 2 when it comes to your village, hang out with Sid, Jack, and Jacob, and be sure to pick up the new album aptly named Grade 2, on splatter blue and white vinyl, black vinyl or CD from Hellcat Records. Cheers mate!