With Special Guests The Transplants and Pressure Point

Saturday July 27, 2002 @ the Roxy

As experienced by Alex Distefano

Original photo from thedistillers.com

Just a few months ago, not many in the mainstream knew who the Distillers were. But with their recent spurt of media recognition, (i.e. a radio hit song on LA mainstay KROQ, and MTV coverage), the Distillers have earned their success fair and square. They have been touring virtually non -stop for the past two and have earned a cult following. Their stunningly beautiful performance Saturday night at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood to a sold out crowd proved to the fans and critics that just because they may have earned some mainstream recognition, they won't give in or compromise their punk rock roots and sound.

Brody Armstrong, lead vocalist, and guitarist has soul. Her soul runs so deep in her music that you can feel it, hear it, and practically see it in every tune. When this girl sings and struts her guitar and unleashes her furry, people listen, and people feel it. From the moment this young punk took the stage, the crowd was in her hands. She gracefully handled the duties of vocals and guitar, while remaining energetic enough to get the crowd pumped for every song.

With tunes from their debut record, as well as their latest album, Sing Sing Death House, the Distillers managed to purvey a sense of optimism, sadness, and beauty in their music: a mix of old school punk, blended with melodic, yet hardcore overtones. The trios bring back the true meaning of the old school punk rock spirit, not caring about fashion or musical trends, but instead playing music that comes from the heart and soul. At times, the lyrics may seem a bit political, but they also talk to the listener in a more personal sense.

Some songs, such as "Sick of it All,' and 'Sing Sing Death House' were more thrashy hardcore sing along anthems, while other songs such as 'LA Women,' and 'The Blackest Years of My Life,' and 'Gypsy Rose Lee,' were more tragic beautiful love songs, with a punk rock twist. The Distillers truly are innovators in the punk scene. They bring a much-needed sense of hope and melody to punk. With this much energy, The Distillers brought the crowd to its feet. Their live show is phenomenal and their music will live on into the future, with the likes of X, the Clash, and the Rammones.

Opening bands Pressure Point and the Transplants served as great compliments to the Distilers' sound. While Pressure Point mixed a hint of pop-punk with hardcore, the crowd seemed to give them a nice response, most notably when H20 singer Toby joined them onstage to sing a cover on an old school English Dogs song. This band has potential in the hardcore world, and will earn respect in the scene of bands like H20 and Agnostic Front.

The Transplants poured out a sonic boom of old school punk, a small taste of pop punk and even tiny bits of reggae and even hip hop. Led By Tim Armstrong, who is cooincdently Brody's husband. The Transplants gave havoc with their blend of musical styles, most notably fast punk rock. The crowd went nuts and formed a giant circle pit in the tiny Roxy floor when special guest, Rancid Front man Lars Fredrickson, and Brody came out to help the band sing a special Misfits cover which the brought the crowd to it's wildest of the night. All in all, it was three great punk bands, in an intimate club setting, each different in their own way, but each having enough power to play the club as a headliner.

Go see for your self, the Distillers will be playing KROQ's Inland Invasion on September 14th at Block Buster Pavilion in Glen Helen and again on November 22nd with No Doubt and Garbage at Long Beach Arena.