With the British parliamentary elections taking up headlines the past few days, you’ve probably heard a lot about the special relationship enjoyed between our two countries. Aside from sounding slightly suggestive and covering intelligence, economics, and military power, the special relationship also encompasses Baltimore punk rock.
To wit: We sent them Double Dagger, and they’re sending Leatherface to the Ottobar tonight in return.
This blog has come down pretty hard on aging English punk bands lately, and while the Sunderland lads are no spring chickens, we believe they’re the exception and not the rule. In more than twenty years of continuous recording and touring, they’ve not been spoiled by success. In fact, they may even be British punk’s best kept secret. They’re one of those bands that has influenced every band that came after them, whether those later bands realize it or not.
Leatherface has a new record out on No Idea Which proves our point. We’d probably have written them off forever if they had signed with Epitaph, but you know No Idea is going to do right by everyone concerned. Don’t believe us? You can go ahead and stream it right now from Punknews.org like we’re doing while we write this. We’re especially digging track #7, Diego Garcia.
Rounding out the bill tonight is Baltimore’s own Sick Sick Birds who we love so much we’ve written about them before, as well as local newcomers Post Freedom about whom we’ve heard good things, and Georgia’s Ninja Gun.
Part of us thinks this is going to be a massive sold-out show which will be legend in this town for years to come. But then we remind ourselves that it’s still a weeknight and that everyone who cares about Leatherface is our age or older, and/or a huge music nerd, so there might be plenty of elbow room at the bar. Either way, we get to put a big check mark next to their name in the column of ‘Bands we love and never got to see.’
Get out and see them tonight Baltimore. You’ll see the Queen go about in her knickers before they come back around again.
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Ottobar is at 2549 N. Howard Street. 410-662-0069 Tickets are available at www.missiontix.com