On Monday, October 7th, Lagwagon rocked through Columbus along with their Fat Wreck Chords labelmates Face to Face and MakeWar.
It was a crisp fall night; perfect for waiting a half-hour past door time for a show at the Athenaeum Theatre. While waiting I began talking to other people in line and quickly realized I was one of just a few actually from Columbus. Others had traveled from Dayton, Cleveland, and even Indiana to see this show.
First up was MakeWar (one word), the newest band to join the Fat Wreck Chords roster. If you combine skate punk, politics, somewhat angry emo, and give it a Latin flair, you have the unique and fun sound of this trio. Some of their best songs of the night were sung entirely in Spanish! The crowd at this time was kind of sparse, but those in attendance seemed to resonate with them. Be sure to check out their new album ‘Get It Together’ when it drops November 1st!
Next up were punk veterans Face to Face. I guarantee everyone in attendance during their set still has ‘Disconnected’ stuck in their head, no matter when you are reading this. Of course, they played some of their other older hits like ‘Ordinary’ and some newer tunes like ‘Bent but not Broken.’ Face to Face is a band that manages to seamlessly combine typical fast punk music with catchy melodies and lyrics that are a bit heartfelt. We were even treated to a couple of acoustic songs, which made it easier to hear the crowd sing along. Definitely a band I will always try to see when they come to town.
Last but certainly not least was Lagwagon, aka the band nearly everyone I talked to exclusively came to see. This is a band that is good on album, but is absolutely fantastic live. The crowd 100% agreed with me. It was so much fun seeing the guitar players and the bassist continue to ham it up together throughout the set. Jumping in sync, posing together, and involving the crowd in their antics kept a smile on everyone’s face between singing along. Then there is Joey Cape, an absolute legend. He would occasionally join the other members’ shenanigans when he wasn’t performing his heart out. Joey is the kind of man who just naturally comes across as “cool.” The type of person who has your full attention no matter what he is doing. Lagwagon is a band that is as fun as they are talented and should never be missed if they come to a city near you.
Words and Photos by Tiffany Detzel
