Dead Kennedys Revives Punk Spirit

Photo by Sam Ray-Johnson.

Some people are able to maintain optimism when hard times strike. For someone like me, at least on a mental level, I’ve lived in survival mode my entire life. When bad things happen, I tend to take a more neutral approach — just get through it, then process later. After you’ve been living like that for so long, you don’t realize the toll it takes on you until you’re out from under it.

As I started the night two weeks ago in Downtown Reno, I had mixed feelings going into the Dead Kennedys concert. I had just finished my last day at my job and a new one was just around the corner. I know I’m not the only one who has faced significant financial strain since the world started fully reopening this summer, but it had gotten progressively worse for me in recent months. Something had to give and after enormous stress transitioning out of the environment I was in, I was finally free. A frightening, but bright and hopeful future awaited me.

Virginia Street Brewhouse, for those of you who aren’t local, used to be the Knitting Factory. The place has history and being back inside brought back some wonderful memories. I’ve seen March Fourth there before and ghosts of stilt walkers, blow-up dinosaur suits and acrobatic stunts danced through my mind. The upstairs portion of the venue was closed unfortunately, but it didn’t take away from the nostalgic feel of the place. Whoever took over did a fantastic job in maintaining the atmosphere left behind of times past, complete with spooky decorations in honor of Halloween coming up. They even served “blood bag” cocktails — a concoction of vodka, grenadine and something I can’t remember delivered in cute, IV drip packaging.

What I loved about the venue was there was plenty of space for people to dance and move around. If you’ve read my review of my first punk show, I was better prepared for how crowded and rowdy the show could get. This time though, there was much more breathing room.

Opening bands MDC and Infirmities set the mood for the night perfectly. Reno’s punk scene brings in groups that never disappoint in terms of technicality: the music was fast-paced, chaotic and intense, just how we wanted it. While the audience was mixed in age, the crowd seemed pleased with every performance and song. It was purely an event to celebrate, especially for me.

As the night progressed to the famous Dead Kennedys, my stomach was filled with butterflies. Getting to witness a classic band live is still something I won’t ever be able to truly describe. Here were members of the community who paved the way for generations after them, throughout the evolutions of political movements, current events and pandemics. It’s enough to make one geek out to say the least.

And, over all the years they’ve been in the industry, they still kicked ass.

Ron “Skip” Greer entertained us with his charisma the entire night. He would stop every now and then to crack jokes and give the occasional inspirational speech, complete with a cheeky punch line. It reminded me of how much I missed that connection with musicians at live shows. What makes seeing bands in person so great over listening to records at home, is the ability to react, laugh, cry and cheer on the artists you love — and I’m sure Skip felt that. 

Every time I go to a new punk show, I fall more in love with the community. Through the struggles I had just conquered, I didn’t realize how badly I needed a night like that until I reflected on it the next day. Certainly, what a better way to celebrate quitting a job like going to see Dead Kennedys:

“We’re sorry, you’ll just have to leave

Unemployment runs out after just six weeks

How does it feel to be a budget cut?

You’re snipped, you no longer exist

Your number’s been purged from our central computer

So we can rig the facts and sweep you under the rug 

See our chart? Unemployment’s going down

If that ruins your life that’s your problem

Soup is good food (we don’t need you any more)

You made a good meal (we don’t need you any more)

Now how does it feel (we don’t need you any more)

To be shit out our ass

And thrown in the cold.”

• Soup Is Good Food by Dead Kennedys, 1985.

To listen to Dead Kennedys, visit their Spotify profile here.