MY WAR! YOU’RE ONE OF THEM! YOU SAY YOU’RE MY FRIEND BUT YOU’RE ONE OF THEM!
Formed in 1976 and considered to be one of (if not the) first hardcore punk bands, Black Flag has become one of the most popular groups in the genre. Known for their raw, aggressive sound and anti-establishment lyrics, the group has had significant influence on punk sound and culture.
Over the years the band has included more than two dozen different members, with the most famous lineup consisting of founder and guitarist Greg Ginn, bassist Chuck Dukowski, singer Henry Rollins, and drummer Bill Stevenson. Despite more roster changes than a high-school football team, Ginn still leads the band, with a new group of bandmates including vocalist Mike Vallely, bassist Harley Duggan, and drummer Charles Wiley.
Now in the midst of their third official reunion, Black Flag has embarked on tour to celebrate the not-quite 40th anniversary of their seminal second album, My War. With the reformed lineup, the group is playing two sets per night, the first being the album from start to finish, the second consisting of greatest hits.
The show began just after 9PM, with the band slowly taking the stage and tuning their instruments before starting to play. Vallely sang with explosive energy, screaming into the mic and looking into the crowd with intensity. Opening the show with the title track from the album, the band played for an hour straight, without stopping to introduce themselves or talk to the crowd.
The first set lost the audience at times, with lengthy guitar solos and songs played at a slower pace than the recordings, though the floor maintained a fairly constant circle pit throughout the show.
After a brief intermission, the band returned for their second set of the night, playing through some of the shorter-more aggressive songs the band is known for. This set was much more energetic than the first, and included songs off of 5 of the band’s albums.
The band closed out the show with arguably their most popular song “Rise Above” along with a cover of “Louie Louie” by Richard Berry. Despite the at times lackluster first set, the band put on a decent show and brought fans the closest to the early-80s Black Flag that they could get. Well, at least until Flag comes along.
I'm a Houston-based concert and automotive photographer. I've been a music fan my whole life, and previously was the director for Coog Radio, the University of Houston's student radio station. I listen to a bit of everything, from blues to rock to EDM, but predominantly metal. Some favorites include Slayer, Iron Maiden, and Metallica. When I'm not behind the camera, you can catch me skating, going to car events, and buying too many coffee table books.
