The Misfits at Fitzgerald's 30th Anniversary

A Misfits show smells like bad adolescent BO. Fitgerald's celebrated its 30th anniversary and got a sold out show in exchange. It was fun. Full of youth and the intolerable Knuckle Draggers, the audience was an eclectic mix. With any old school band, there will be people in attendance who just want to see what it's about and obviously do not fit in with the "image." They are usually annoying because they stand motionless and bring the energy level down. What's cool about a punk rock show is that it is okay to push them out of the way. Fighting is a sign of brotherhood. . Yay. Mosh. That was the feel of the audience. Onward...

They played all their major songs. It's all a blur to me, actually. I tend to make music a spiritual experience, so the details of the set list are unknown to me. After the show was over, Only sat at the front of the stage to sign autographs and take pictures for at least the 30 minutes I hung around. When I left, there was still a crowd. I like seeing bands show gratitude for their fans who spend their money.


Now, before I get haters reading this that didn't want to go to the show because the original singer Glenn Danzig doesn't sing for them anymore, let me tell you one thing. You are a poser. The Misfits have gone through many lineup changes throughout their 30 year career. This current tour has Jerry Only (Bass/Vocals) with former Black Flag alum Dez Cadena on guitar and original Misfits drummer Robo. As we have seen with other bands like Guns N Roses and The Smashing Pumpkins, just because you retain your original lead singer, doesn't make the band any more authentic. They still get criticized for calling the band its original name and get poser points. It's a Catch 22. The band may not have all their original band mates, but they are still truckin'. Gotta respect. Whatever reason Danzig has for not wanting to get back in the band is up to him, but if you just wanna enjoy a live show, for what it's worth, then don't front like you are too good to enjoy yourself.

Now, following The Damned, The Misfits helped create the horror punk/gothic theme that current bands like Wednesday 13, The Murder Dolls, and more recognized acts like Marilyn Manson, My Chemical Romance and Rob Zombie have created for themselves and either pulled off or posed off. The Misfits are legends and the punk rock era is dead, so purity doesn't exist anymore. As you grow older you understand life is about improving an idea and making it larger than life, better than it was intended.

Only says this: "The Misfits have been preserved on determination and the sheer will to survive. That determination has been bound by the unequaled loyalty of our fan base of fiends. Our goal is simple, to be the best. In resurrecting this band I risked all that I'd done in the past and I dared to challenge a legacy born in my youth. Today I am stronger, smarter and faster than I have ever been. We plan to continue as always, eclipse the past, block the sun and drag humanity by the throat into a world of darkness filled with ghouls, goblins and creatures of the night, where we are king." [source]

That sounds pretty purist punk rock to me - doing what you want and telling everyone else to f*ck off.

1982 - Halloween



My, how things change...2007 - Halloween