Black Flag show Birmingham they've still got it after 40 years - review
They've inspired a whole generation of punks and rockers - in fact, you'd be hard pressed to walk into any alternative establishment and not find four dishevelled black blocks emblazoned proudly.
And last night music icons Black Flag showed fans at The Mill in Digbeth why they're still a force to be reckoned with more than 40 years since their formation.
First up to get the crowd moving were German/American punks Total Chaos, celebrating their 30th anniversary with a raw and visceral performance.
A burst of energy from the minute they walked on stage, the quartet showcased furious guitar licks and ear-bursting vocals aplenty during their short set.
Proudly boasting the phrase 'Punk's not dead' on bass player Geordy Justify's instrument, the group certainly showed this was a fact with a captivating performance that cemented their status within the genre.
From the first chords of Depression, the entire room was moving as Black Flag immediately commanded the stage as their own.
Now fronted by pro-skater, stuntman and hockey player Mike Vallely, the 49-year-old had powerful shoes to fill in for, stepping into the shoes of the iconic Henry Rollins, Ron Reyes and Keith Morris before him.
But he did a spectacular job of engaging the crowd, bringing to life smash hit songs Black Coffee, White Minority, Gimme Gimme Gimme, Nervous Breakdown, Rise Above, Six Pack and more with his gruff and gritty vocal style.
The only remaining original member, guitarist Greg Ginn, similarly impressed with his soaring guitar solos that have seen him named one of the greatest guitarists in the world by Rolling Stone.
The quartet made the foundations of The Mill shake during an extended intro of iconic track Slip It In, with a hair-raising and ear drum-bursting drum solo along with a rumbling bass section that had the whole room cheering.
There was limited crowd interaction from the band, as well as limited movement on stage, and yet the audience still remained a sea of flailing limbs and chanting from start to finish.
A simple note ringing out across the room could induce cheers, such is the power of Black Flag's legacy.
Ending on their cover of The Kingsmen's Louie Louie, the American punk rockers left the whole room yelling for more.
Nostalgic through and through and engaging without having to rely on tired stage tropes, Black Flag brought punk back to life with an energetic show like no other.
