Reno Punk Shows Do It Again With T.S.O.L.
Photo by Sam Ray-Johnson.
Last year I wrote about my first experience at a punk show. The pandemic was still hanging in the air, my partner and I barely made it in by some miracle and due to personal circumstances, I couldn’t really enjoy the mosh pit like I should have. I was grumpy, sweaty and not used to a swirling mass of crusty men shoving me around. It was hot, it was rowdy and admittedly I went through some culture shock.
Fast forward eight months later and several legendary punk concerts under my belt, and I was ready to participate with my partner this time. We just celebrated our two-year anniversary a few days before and what better way to round that off than with some rockin’ jams in Reno with friends?
The event took place at the old Saint across from Recycled Records. Back in the day, The Saint used to host salsa nights, jazz concerts and the occasional kickass artist from out of town, like Scott Pemberton. I’m not sure what the story is, but I’m assuming the pandemic hit The Saint too because they are under new management and branding now – The Cypress. They haven’t changed too much, besides an expanded stage and more open view of the outdoor patio (I didn’t even know they had a back patio area until now). There was a lot more breathing room than I remember, which was good to see considering that venue was set up for music.
The night was slow going at first. While the doors opened at 7 p.m. and the show was supposed to start at 8, the bands didn’t get started until well after.
My biggest takeaway from this concert wasn’t necessarily the music – it was the crowd. There were definitely tourists from outside Reno in attendance, and they didn’t quite understand the etiquette. There were [very] drunk women dancing like they were at a funk show, flitting about the arena, unaware of the chaos brewing for the main act. There were several old men throwing their fists into the audience and one popped me square in the forehead. One woman grabbed me around my neck and tried to run around with me. The same belligerent lady yelled, “Reno people are so lame! Reno people are so shy!” The man who punched me in the face yelled “Pussies! You’re all pussies!”
If it’s anything I’ve learned from a few years immersing myself into the local Reno music scene – it’s that you don’t waste your energy on the opening act. While the opening band was decent, all the authentic Reno metal-heads were just conserving their rage. By the time the main band started it was well past 10 p.m. anyway.
As soon as the well-seasoned, grizzled members of T.S.O.L. hit the stage, shit went down.
Younger punks waiting for their moment to skip into the mosh pit ran out from the audience. Heads bounced, fists flew and even if you fell, there was someone there to pick you up and keep pushing you into the mass of music, sweat and unbridled frenzy. Lads locked arms and hurricane-d each other into the crowd, vest-wearing Renoites were ‘picking up change’ across the dance floor and one woman’s pigtails came undone from swinging her arms so hard. My partner lost his glasses twice and had to remove his shirt, drenched. The man who punched me got knocked, tripped and jostled pretty hard. The ladies who were yelling about us being shy were now standing at the edge, watching.
I even made a jump or two into the pit for the first time. It was awkward in the beginning and I fell out of one of the hurricanes, sliding over the beer-soaked tile. After a few more tries, I was able to get the hang of it – getting lighter on my feet, whipping my hair around and using others to bounce myself in the direction I wanted to go. It didn’t feel nearly as intense as last year when I first tried my hand at punk, and if anything, it’s grown on me. We even made some new friends along the way.
T.S.O.L. was another legendary punk band in the books. While I don’t believe they played ‘Code Blue’ or ‘Flowers By The Door,’ the rest of their songs were absolutely phenomenal. It was like they entered straight out of the golden age 80s era of punk and I’ll carry this memory with me always, just like Agent Orange and Dead Kennedys.
To listen to T.S.O.L., visit their Spotify profile here.
