The Menzingers are back on tour and it's a beautiful thing! Despite a two-show stint in Hollywood, The Menzingers still made a stop 40-minutes away to appease the punks of Pomona at The Glass House. The town center was alive with bar-hoppers and concert-goers as i made my way to the venue's front doors. Unfortunately, I missed Sincere Engineer's set, which I was excited for and hoping to catch. I made it in just in time to see them play through their last song. The second band joining The Menzingers on their North American tour is Oso Oso. Not a band I was familiar with. They had their own fan base amongst the seemingly thin crowd. With some spouting from time-to-time how they were only there to see them. They played a tight and energetic set, and when they finished, many of the fans left.
I was beginning to wonder how the crowd would be for Menzingers as it was still a little shallow. Had most of the fans got their fill in Hollywood? Was it cause it was a Sunday night? Minutes before The Menzingers hit the stage, the tide turned as fans started to file in to fill the floor. The band walked out to the sound of Joey Ramone begging the question, "Do You Wanna Dance?" They blasted into the dueling guitars of Hello Exile's "Strangers Forever." The audience made their presence known, but there was a clear awakening once the band went into On the Impossible Past's "The Obituaries." Their voices carried as Greg Barnett lifted the mic stand during the song's bridge.
The band continued to play through fan-favorites from the past their past 4 albums, like "Good Things/Burn After Writing," "I Don't Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore," and "Thick as Thieves" while digging into a deeper like "Strawberry Mansion." The Menzingers have begun to shun their first few releases, which isn't much of a surprise, but I'd love for them to slip in an old gem here and there from at least Chamberlain Waits. While much of that feels like a different band now, there are plenty of hints of what they'd become to fit in with their set. However, understandably, it's obvious that it's not necessary to excite the fans. The energy exploded as that opening riff to "After the Party" kicked off the end of the set and members of the audience begun to launch off the stage while others rose from the center to crowdsurf. The band came back for their encore to finish out the night with "America (You're Freaking Me Out)," "Ava House," and "Lookers."
I've lost track of how many times I've seen The Menzingers now. They're one of the few bands I've followed throughout most of their career. I've seen them grow and change, but they never disappoint. Somehow, Tom May still hops around with the energy of a 5 year old and it's still endearing. The band is only midway through their tour, so if they're coming to your town, I implore you to give them your money. It'll be worth it.
