Avengers/Lupo Citta/Adult Human Females @ Gold Sounds, Brooklyn, NY 3/7/25

This was an early evening gig at the punk rock bar Gold Sounds a mere mile and a half from home for me. I took the B60 down Wilson Ave thinking I'd catch a few drinks and spare myself the Dice fee since the show wasn't sold out at the 200 capacity venue. I thought it might, but the promoter reminded me the band has been touring regularly in recent years. I hadn't seen them since they played CBGB's in 2006 shortly after the bands final reformation in 2004 after being broken up most of the 80's and reforming briefly in 1999. Penelope Houston and original guitarist Greg Ingraham from the 1977 band have had Joel Reader on bass since 1999 and Luis Illades on drums since 2004, so even the "ringers" have put in a couple decades plus. They aren't really a band that does new material and new "product" is generally from the glory day archives of 1977-9. They never released an album in their most productive time period but the 1983 Avengers albums release after breakup is an American punk classic that has stood the test of time and supercharged interest in the band to the point where Houston and Ingraham reformed for good. They do all the hits: "Corpus Christi," The Stones "Paint It Black," "The American In Me" closes, "Cheap Tragedies" opens.

Lupo Citta got a few North East dates with Avengers starting at the Middle East yesterday and Philly tonight. I first saw them last year and they haven't changed much since last year although they were doing new material. Last year's self-titled album is still the featured release at the merch stand. Great to see Chris Brokaw more frequently of late. Good band that seems to be progressing into establishment whatever that means. For me that means I'd check 'em out anytime.

Adult Human Females were recommended to me. They are a self-described "post-Riot Grrl" band. I guess what that means is they are an anti-TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist) wing of radical feminist ideologues. The music screams and rants at you and would like to be more dangerous than it is which is not really. Even non-conformity is a conformity of sorts for better or for worse depending on your point of view. Last night Patti Smith was saying her whole point was not to be in any sort of "box" to categorize. Her point being art is for art sake. I would say Adult Human Females are the opposite of that to the point of hyper-narrow. They do their thing with enough enthusiasm to justify their genre-friendly existence. Criticizing this would fall into a trap. We'll see how long they can last. You either like it or you don't.

FOR FURTHER REVIEW:

Lupo Citta @ Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY 8/18/24

The Chris Brokaw Rock Band @ Mama Tried, Brooklyn, NY 9/21/24

Various Artists-Stars Kill Rock (1993)