Last night I (Jonder) saw Flag play Atlanta. If you have the opportunity to see these guys, DO IT! Chuck Dukowski, Keith Morris, Dez Cadena, Bill Stevenson, and guitarist Stephen Egerton are playing the classics, from the Nervous Breakdown and Jealous Again EP's through the first half of Damaged.
Keith Morris announced (jokingly?), "We're here to drag the legacy of Henry Rollins through the mud." Keith didn't mention the other guy, but I'm pretty sure I heard him sing "You're jealous again, and again and again, and again and again, and fuck you Greg Ginn." He also incorporated the Circle Jerks'"Don't Care" into "You Bet We've Got Something Personal Against You" (a song directed at Morris after he left in 1979). Keith also sang "My War", which Dukowski wrote about the band.
Flag doesn't really have a beef with Rollins. They are celebrating the first four years, before "everything went black". Chuck Dukowski (1980-82) was front and center, beaming at the crowd. Dukowski literally bounced across the stage when Flag came back for their encore. Chuck and Keith are in their early 60's, but you wouldn't know it to see and hear them. Bill Stevenson (1982-85) was a powerhouse on drums, and Stephen Egerton (Descendents, ALL) killed it on guitar. Not a slavish imitation of the records, but he played a familiar looking Dan Armstrong guitar and got real, real gone when he soloed.
Morris sang most of the songs, all the way through "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Police Story", "My War", "Depression" and "Rise Above". Dez Cadena (1981-83) took the mic for "Six Pack", "American Waste", "Spray Paint The Walls", "Thirsty and Miserable", "Damaged" and "Louie Louie". Dez was always my favorite Black Flag frontman, and it was a real thrill to hear him sing again. Dez was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx last year, but he looks good and sounds great!
Flag is playing three Florida shows in the next few days before they leave for Europe. Again, don't miss the band if you have the chance to see them. Brian said he was going to blacken up the blog, and what's blacker than Flag?
