Dirkfest Delivers

Review of Dirkfest, June 8, 2007 at the Great American Music Hall

Emcee, Jello Biafra
The Avengers
The Mutants
The Contractions
The White Trash Debutants
No Alternative (w/ Chip Kinman)

The much anticipated tribute to promoter Dirk Dirksen, San Francisco’s “Pope of Punk”, came through with a night of top notch performances set after set.

No Alternative pulled out the stops for those who showed up early. The set preformed by John Genocide, Greg Langston and Jeff Rees was filled with classics from both No Alternative and the Offs like “Johnny Got His Gun”, “Rebel Youth” and “Life of Suicide”. Later they were joined stage by a highly energized Chip Kinman of the Dils and Rank and File. Chip use every inch of the stage as they proceeded to rip through five or six Dils classics. They delivered and excellent energetic set, although I’m still sulking over the absence of “Class War”.

Emcee Jello Biafra barely had time to rev up he’s rant before the stage was overrun by The White Trash Debutants. Ginger Coyote and her army of back-up singers riled up the crowd with a set packed with party anthems such as “Part Time Celebrity” and “Superstar”. It wasn’t long before a pit broke out as the crowd soaked up the routy performance.

The Contractions hit the stage next, showing the crowd once again the important contribution woman made to the punk scene. Debbie Hopkins, Mary Keller and Kathy Peck played to a pack house as the ran though their rough-edged, pop-punk set filled with classics like “Magazine Phobia”, “Rules and Regulation” and “Early Warning”.

Soon after, the stage was overrun again this time by The Mutants, billed as “SF Mutant Non-Allstars” due to the absence of Sally Webster and inclusion of Naomi Ruth Eisenberg. Brendan Earley, John Gullak, Paul Fleming, David Carothers, Sue White and Fritz Fox soon had the capacity crowd eating out of their hand and quickly broke out “Insect Lounge”. It was clear their infectious energy captured the crowd as the theater thundered with applause before they fulfilled the audience’s demand for an encore.

Soon after, Jello’s long wind was once again cut short as Penelope Houston commandeered the mic to lead The Avengers through a blistering set that busted the party wide open. It only took a few cords to get the largely over 40’s crowd dancing and slamming like it was 1979 all over again. Few could resist the temptation to let loose as The Avengers ripped through their power packed set filled with punk anthems such as “We Are The One”, “No Martyr” and of course American In Me”. The crowd insisted an encore and was thoroughly spent when the house lights went up.

Crowd and performers alike paid tribute to Dirk Dirksen the way he would have like it, by throwing the best party many had been to in a long time.

Mike
Neat Neat Noise
Mondays 6-8pm