There is a new venue in the Inland Empire, it is all ages, and just a stone’s throw away from where the beloved Showcase Theatre used to exist. The first official show was an enjoyable success despite a couple of hiccups. Local punk rock mainstays Narcoleptic Youth are just as loud and tighter than ever, Litmus Green is still silly and angry, Bad Ass is exactly what the name implies, and Iggy & The Roughriders would make GBH proud. Sorry, I missed X-Rated! but two of the band members assured me they kicked serious ass!

Guitarist Jay Sin of Narcoleptic Youth was kind enough to put Cathy and me on the guest list, but when we got there, I was told there was no guest list. Jay just happened to show up at the same time and told me we needed “some weird computer code kind of thing,” and he did not have it. He then generously paid $40.00 for two tickets so Cathy and I could enjoy the show. The guys working the door knew Jay was a member of the headlining band, but he was not allowed to take his gear inside because he did not have the coveted wristband. Um….okay (roll eyes). I have an idea: For a guest list, put people’s names on a piece of paper and check them off when they arrive. Do the same for band members. That might work. I tried to sneak in two bottles of water and looked like an idiot when I got caught. 

The venue is situated behind the retail store and it has a nice wide stage and great sound. It has an ample patio area where kids can breathe clouds of secondhand cigarette smoke and everyone can enjoy hot tacos and other delectables. I missed X-Rated! but having heard some of their stuff online, I can tell you the band is worth a listen if you enjoy that Oi-influenced street punk fuelled by malt liquor and good attitudes. For me, the first band was Iggy & The Roughriders, a band from Hemet, and I was delightfully impressed. These three youngsters reminded me a lot of GBH, but without the metal-ish solos. There was some ska mixed in there at times too (no horns though.) It was good ol’ straightforward punk rock, high speed, nice and tight, with a sound that harkens from the 1980s without sounding trite. The crowd had not yet warmed up, so the slam pit consisted of two little kids jumping around. The drummer seemed to play with his eyes closed, but after the set, he told me he squints when he plays. 

Next was Bad Ass. Yes, this band is Bad Ass both literally and figuratively. This six-person ensemble features dual male and female vocalists, and with the other four well-seasoned punk veterans. It embodies what they call: “All flavors combined.” It was just a Bad Ass good time with more of that street-oriented, alcohol-infused, but friendly vibe with the occasional hard ska sound thrown in at times (still no horns.) With songs like: “My Gear Smells Like Beer,” and “Anxiety Attack,” the band got the energy level to rise, and people started to move. There was not any real slam dancing, probably due to the “No Moshing” signs posted here and there. “Moshing?” Isn’t that what heavy metal crowds do? We got the idea and it seems that people were playing it safe and did not want to get kicked out. Bassist Brittany Moore is the living embodiment of punk rock and her neon pink bass strings were a nice touch. The band recently did a tour of Indonesia. They have also toured the east coast of the US, Canada, Australia, Belgium and The Netherlands. How do they get the money? They pay their own way, and recoup by getting paid to play and with merchandise sales. You are well-advised to check them out when Bad Ass comes to your town. 

The show came to an unexpected pause when a security guy came over to Litmus Green’s singer to tell him the show will not continue until their roadie leaves the premises. Apparently, he got drunk and was being a problem. I went outside to see what was going on, and there he was, mouthing-off to the venue staff, and refusing to leave. Once again, Narcoleptic Youth guitarist Jay Sin saved the day by calmly talking to the guy and persuaded him to leave. 

Litmus Green was then ready to begin. The drummer looked familiar, and when the band started, I thought: “Damn, this guy is good!” I got a good photo of him, and it looked like Antonio Val Hernandez of TSOL. Antonio later verified this for me via Facebook: “Hey, yes, that was me!” The energy level was pushed even higher with Litmus’s Green’s brand of high-velocity, angst-filled, and occasionally humorous punk rock. The first song was an old favorite: “I Hate You.” Vocalist Rev. Sean was bouncing all over the stage, rattling off the vocals like an auctioneer as his buzzsaw of a band cut through our minds. It is interesting how he sounds so angry and amused at the same time. The bassist’s neon green bass strings were interesting too.

Rev. Sean has a few props (a cartoonish time bomb, a buccaneer’s plastic sword, a plastic femur and a ray gun pistol), and he waves them around with wild abandon as he performs. I am not sure about the lyrical content, but the props do not seem to have much to do with the song’s message. I think the guy just needs something in his non-microphone hand while he does his thing. However, during “Anal Probe,” he pantomimed being sodomized with the femur bone, much to the surprised amusement of two young boys that were standing up front. I was glad to see Litmus Green again after so many years. The last time I saw the band was at its “final performance” at The Showcase Theater way back in 2002. Back then, the band was known as the local queercore favorite, but even so, that aspect of the band is only one trait. Overall, this is just good punk rock. 

Just before Narcoleptic Youth’s set, I talked a bit with vocalist Joey Bondage about how many years ago, I wrote a show review for the now defunct Skratch Magazine wherein I said I thought the band was out of synch. Joey was not happy about that article, and he let me know it when I saw him sometime later at The Showcase Theater. He asked what was my favorite song by The Damned. “Ignite” was my reply. The next time I saw the band, Joey pointed at me and said: “Marcus, this one is for you.” Jay Sin then proceeded to play Ignite right in my face. They got me, and I have been a huge fan ever since. 

First up was “Elvis Lives in Norco.” Did you know that? Now you do. Finally, the crowd started to slam a bit. How could you not? During “Busted Condom,” I was fiddling with my camera, so Joey bonked me in the head with his giant condom prop. Joey stated his approval of the slamming and he also mocked the signage by pointing out: “Moshing? Isn’t that what heavy metal fans do?” See? I was right. Nobody was getting kicked out though. The fan favorite “Dear John” really got things going strong and I could hear the audience singing along over the volume of the amplifiers. During this song, in reference to the lyrics: “Whatever you do John/ don’t drink the punch,” Joey always pours some kind of fruity drink into a cup and then smacks it out of his own hand into the audience. This time, he poured a lot into the cup and when he poured it onto my head, there was almost nothing there. “Where did it go?” He asked the audience. “It’s magic!” (There was some sort of absorbent material in the cup.) 

More than 20 years after my initial negative review, it is safe to say these guys are very much in synch, and in fact, their level of musicianship is pretty much astonishing. Jay Sin is one of the most underrated guitarists in the punk rock realm, while bassist Junior Mint finger-plucks a mean riff or three. You can tell he feels every note. I think Joey Bondage is some kind of vampire, because he looks, moves, and sounds the same as he did over two decades ago. Relative newcomer Chris Van Wolf pounds the skins like he was a member from day one. After the ever popular “Barbie in Bondage,” “86 The Crap,” and “Is this Punk?” Joey pointed to me and said: “This one is dedicated to Marcus, because he’s a bitch!” The show culminated with the impertinent “Bitch Needs a Muzzle.” No encore. None needed. 

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