Punk is always more fun with the Monkey Warren-led ensemble.
Text, Photos by Joshua Alvarez (@joshua.jam3s):
It has been 4 years since the last time The Adicts played Los Angeles, so they returned for one glorious night at The Belasco. The Droog Army came in droves and sold out the show, ready to party and sing along with the almighty Monkey. No matter where you look, it felt like we were sucked into the world of Clockwork Orange where white dress shirts, black pants, and bowler hats were aplenty.
Cake Eater, a hardcore band from Orange County, opened the show and came out swinging with some heavy riffs and scratchy vocals. Next up was Sweat, who have been making a name for themselves around the SoCal punk scene the past couple of years with Tuna leading the pack with her visceral vocal delivery and presence, including talent from Graf Orlock, Dangers, and even Ghost Limb. Generacion Suicida provided direct support and the South Central natives need no introduction. You would have thought they were headlining The Belasco based on the excitement from the crowd as they blended melodic and post punk to achieve a sound that is very distinctive while Arbaca sings purely in Spanish.
The Droog Army packed the room like sardines ready for The Adicts to grace the stage. The band comes out to an overwhelming applause while Monkey comes out with massive wings designed to be a giant smile. Monkey has to be one of the most charismatic frontmen in all of punk, and that is saying a lot given the amount of contenders present in the genre's contemporary stage. You would not have thought that the band has been doing this for over 40 years since they just celebrated the anniversary of their first album, Songs of Praise (1981). Beyond that, they covered their entire discography with catchy hits from Viva La Revolution to Steamroller and Joker in the Pack among many more that would would make any fan happy. From joker cards and confetti to large clear balls thrown into the crowd, The Adicts made for a stellar show that did not disappoint from the musical and visual standpoint. If you have never experienced the band live, you need to change that right away.
The Adicts Photo Gallery
