Bad Religion eats it at Int'l Ballroom
Bad Religion might be better than no religion-- but not on Easter weekend. The punk rock band's performance on Saturday was labored, more like a reluctant day at the office than a wild night of rock.
The band's uninspired appearance in Houston followed the recent release of The Gray Race .
Greg Graffin's vocals were a strong point for the band, but his stage presence lacked energy. His lyrics weren't provocative, although he certainly had a lot to say. At the risk of talking like our parents, all of the songs sounded the same.
On guitar, Greg Hetson (formerly of the Circle Jerks) and Brian Bake (from Minor Threat and Dag Nasty) often mirrored each other rather than playing separate guitar lines. Jay Bentley(bass, vocals), unlike the other band members, had the look of a rock star but his playing could hardly be heard. Bobby Schayer's drumming was wild and woolly, and though he was consistent, he didn't have any creative fills.
During breaks between song sets, Graffin spoke to the predominantly teenage crowd about the troubles of parents, shopping ("Fuck the malls!") and life in suburbia. He also berated other bands such as Journey, Rush and Foo Fighters for selling out.
Graffin aptly defended the band's successes by saying, "We still play music that people in general don't buy." Maybe selling out wouldn't be such a bad idea.
This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the April 12, 1996 issue.
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