U.S. Bombs

U.S. Bombs • Total Chaos 
• Union 13 • Damnation 
June 2, 2000 @ The Glass House, Pamona, CA
By: Tim Buctoo
Pics by: Scott Wulfestieg

       I’m going to start this review to a little life lesson. If your going to get on the guest list for a show, make sure it’s not the opener. Due to the ill-fated freeway system that I had to travel. I was late to the show and did not get there till the second band had started. I guess the opener damnation got there a little late and didn’t turn in their guest list.  That sort of left me in a lurch so I had resorted to milling around hoping to see somebody I knew. No luck. Thought luckily for me there were still a few tickets left so It was of to the will call area. The incredibly cute girl working the box office actually gave me a comp ticket and photo pass. “You’re the best Natalie, thanks. Due to her I can continue on with the rest of this review. So again “thanks Natalie”

    I unfortunately missed the entire set of the all over based opener Damnation. I ‘ve seen them a lot and they never cease to give a great show. So I’m sure they gave the crowd of there fuel injected hardcore punk rawk. If you want to find out more about them check out last month’s inter-review section and access their web sites.

    And having only caught the tail end of Epitaph’s Union 13.  Union 13 seems to be right on the edge of getting to the next level in the music scene. They’ve slowly been building a all ages fan base, that’s fanatical about them. Since I only caught the last few songs and couldn’t get very close about all I can says is check them out the next time there in your town. They are balls out punk.

    The glass house crowd started to gather closer when the old school veterans Total Chaos started to set up their stuff. There are two types of bands in the scene, today. The First type sings mostly about girls or the drinking you do to get girls. The second type goes out on a limb, and sings to inform the masses or to make a statement. Total Chaos is definitely of the latter half. And having been around for over a decade, Total Chaos has a lot to say and they’re not afraid to say it. Touching on the all the hot spots racism, politics, hate, and division. And on this night they hit all those subjects through the night. With their hyper charged old school punk, they got kids going in the pit for a good portion of their set. For a look at there set list <click here> Feeding off the kids energy in the pit they ripped through there set like there was no tomorrow. Through the years some faces have come and gone, but the core of singer rob chaos and bassist Joe bastard are still going strong. And keeping the old school punk alive.

Below is a letter that sums up the band by singer Rob Chaos

A Letter to the Punks
The reason I started Total Chaos is because by the late 80s, my style of punk was dying and all the bands
sounded like Bad Religion. I hated it. (Though I do like Bad Religion.)
When I went to shows, the so-called punk kids were calling me "Sid Vicious" or "Freak". I would always think
to myself, "What the fuck happened to the scene?" I had been part of the punk scene since early 1983. And
then the scene had been changing into a bunch of "jocks", and I was pissed. So, I formed Total Chaos to lead
the return of Old School Punk.
Now there seems to be lots of bands following in our steps. However, this is good because when I was a
young "punk", I always dreamed of the punks running in the millions everywhere in the world and having the
total take over of everything in our world.
Let's Kick Some Ass and UNITE TO FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,
Rob Chaos

 Finally it was time for the headliner the best hometown punk band around the U.S. Bombs. With front man Duane Peters leading the band into a rather energetic performance. Having just seen the bombs and damnation at a smaller quainter venue in Costa mesa (The Tike Bar) I don’t know which I liked more the glasshouse’s large stage and sound system gave Peter’s ample room to perform. But the smaller alcohol selling, bar well…  it served alcohol and every one knows punk and booze go hand and hand so. Take your pick when you see them but at least go see them. There are few bands that will make a definite mark on the scene the bombs are a sure bet to go down in punk rock history. The bands got great guitar riffs and a thunderous drummer the never misses a beat. If you haven’t seen the bombs you have to go out and experience the Bombs. There set included a few of songs off their newest Hellcat release U.S. Bombs. “The world” like  “isolated one’s” and luckily they played a personal favorite ‘Orange Crunch’ of their last release Hellcat “Warbirth” .The band was better to see at the glasshouse, good sound, good lighting, and a little room. But it’s really not a bombs show without liquored up bombs fans singing along as loud as the band. I guess the best solution to this would be to see them as much as possible. Then you can judge for yourself.

Tim Buctoo