Suicidal Tendencies were more than a 'band' back in the day they were our band. The tune 'Institutionalized' the anthem of every teenaged punk who 'just wanted a Pepsi'. Granted that was about 1982, that song got so popular it was on Miami Vice, and 80s tv show starring Don Johnson.(wikipedia that.. freakin hilarious) and the glorious film Repo Man, which starred Emilio Estevez and featured another priceless tune "Pablo Picasso Was Never Called An Asshole", by The Modern Lovers.
As with seeing any of my faves from youth I worry. I worry theyll be bloated disgusting John Deere riding posers (ala Bret Gurewitcz of Bad Religion) or just plain biker like has beens like Roger Miret of Agnostic Front. Mike Muir… with his blue bandana (anyone recalll when they had him pegged as a gang member cuz of it?) what has become of him. So many hiatus breaks and so many 'returns'. Milking a dead cow? That was my iinitial thought, that Muir and the guys were in need of some ego loving so lets hit the road.
Right before the band came on, Harald of D.R.I. came to where the photographers were and shook my hand, and was surprised with how young I was; pretty cool that a classic rocker acknowledged me being in the scene at such an age. That excitement took a hold of me and made me super pumped for the band to come on.
When it was time for em to get on stage, the Suicidal Tendencies backdrop was raised, the drum kit was ready, and the crowd was chanting "S-T, S-T" with some sillier members of the crowd adding "D" for a joke. Everyone knew this was the last band of the whole thing, the final hoorah, the big one everyone'd been waiting for. The band stepped on stage first, without Muir, and some man was on stage and announced them: "Ladies and gentleman, Suicidal Tendencies!!" and then he joined his band, grabbed the mic, and went right into it. The energy was insane. It was tough to photograph any of them because they moves around so much- it's like they never aged. Each of them had smiles on their faces when they looked into the adoring crowd. Standing up close to the amps, I could feel the depth of the bass in my core and the drums made it feel like my heart was beating the same rhythm. The intensity of it all was captivating, and fun as hell.
Between the perfect sound, musical talent, and sheer awe that this band is still together and just as good as they were years ago pretty much took everyone for a surprise. The performance as a whole was flawless, with the crowd feeding off of the band and vice versa; the whole thing was a crazy party, moshing and slamdancing galore. Suicidal Tendencies are legendary.