Loved Ones

I recently went to see The Loved Ones live in concert. No, not the Australian rock band from the 60's, the American punk rock band based out of Philadelphia, PA. Currently they're signed on Fat Cat Records, the same label as legendary bands such as Sigur Rós, Múm, and Animal Collective.

I have to say I always liked their records, but they are perfect live! The brash youthful energy that filled the venue was enough to get even a wallflower like me hopping and pogoing up and down all over the dance floor. With David Hause on lead vocals, Mike Sneeringer on drums, Chris Gonzalez on bass, and David Walsh on guitar guffawing around on stage in their epic skinny jeans, it's like the perfect recipe for all kinds of awesome punk rock mayhem.

They hardly left out any songs from their 2006 album Keep Your Heart, or 2008's Build & Burn. I was especially excited to hear my personal favorite of theirs "Coma Girl", which references Ken Kesey's Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test in the first few lines. They even played the Bruce Springsteen cover "Johnny 99" from the Distractions EP. All in all the most smooth and delicately raw band I've had the pleasure of seeing in a while!