THE DEAD KENNEDYS
in La Belle Angele, Edinburgh 14th May 2023
To be honest I was doubtful about this one, 44 years after the height of their magnificence and without Jello or DH, one of the most important US punk bands ever were doing a jig in 2023..!
I shouldn’t have worried….
Before starting the show, East Bay Ray, Skip Greer & Klaus Flouride gave a heartfelt tribute to the late DH Peligro, who sadly passed away last year.
“We’re doing this for you, our brother”
Whilst Fluoride & Ray can still play well they don’t move like they did but maybe because they are in their 70’s has a lot to do with it but drummer Santi Guardolia made up with it with a very impressive performance. He has previously played with the likes of Peligro, Thorne, & Black Oil and was also the drum tech for the Dead Kennedys since 201. He did his old pal DH proud, driving along the songs at full speed.
The set is made up of classic DK material. I mean, can a punk band go wrong with songs like Forward to Death, Police Truck or Buzzbomb. A mighty Let’s Lynch the Landlord is as relevant now as it ever was, if not more so. Skip winds up the audience with references to the coronation, soccer and “real” football before Jock-O-Rama and there’s more mocking of the monarchy before a storming Kill the Poor complete with audience participation.
Too Drunk to Fuck is fantastic. A skit about an 80s/90s dance night proceeds an almost power pop take on Moon Over Marin and California Über Alles is a genuine goosebumps moment.
Bleed for Me opens the first encore followed by the wacky version of Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas. Holiday in Cambodia is a flashback to the late 70’s.
Finally, for the second encore, DK finish things with Chemical Warfare.
So an hour or so of filler, killer and Punk’s most memorable cuts delivered Dead Kennedys circa 2023 style. Even with little or nothing new to report since I last saw them, the band are still a great night out.
Set List:
Forward To Death, Winnebago Warrior, Police Truck, Buzzbomb, Let’s Lynch the Landlord, Jock-O-Rama, Kill the Poor, MP3 Get Off the Web, Too Drunk to Fuck, Moon Over Marin, Nazi Punks Fuck Off, California Über Alles, Bleed for Me, Viva Las Vegas, Holiday in Cambodia, Chemical Warfare.
Review & Photographs by Stuart Stott
