Jeff Tucker Extravaganza

BAD RELIGION TRIBUTE SHOW
Mind Driver, One Hit Wonder, The Jeff Tucker Extravaganza, Pushover    
@ Chain Reaction Anaheim, CA  March 10th
Review By: Snack Baggs
Photos By: Scott Wulfesteig

Some great bands got together to honor in one damned good punk band Bad Religion.  Being one of the more influential punk bands to come out in the past few decades has its advantages. One is that you might have a tribute album dedicated to you , even if the band is still alive and kicking. True One records got together such talent as Jeffries Fan Club, Backside, The Line, One hit Wonder and a whole bunch more bands to do a covers of their favorite Bad Religion tunes. Tonight's record release displayed a few of the better bands on the comp, for a night of revelry at the Chain Reaction. Tonight's opening act was the centerfolds; I unfortunately was not there early enough to catch their set.  Sorry guy's ! But they do a good cover of “Better Off Dead”  which is included on the “Along the Way” tribute album. I was able to catch the next band Pushover though.

                 Pushover were a young energetic five piece that certainly packed in the front of the stage with a gaggle of gorgeous girls. The band has a couple of bugs to work out of their set but they definitely have a good base to start from. A good front man, an energetic bass player, a keyboardist who doubles as a third guitar, and did I mention that they brought a lot of girls to the show? That goes a long way in the music world these days. They played Logic and Tell Me Why?, and did a decent job of covering Struck A Nerve, all in all they were pretty good band. But a little lacking in the in your face power.

                The next band to take the stage was the Jeff Tucker Extravaganza. Now I've always had trouble with bands named after one of the members, it seems to be all the rage lately. But this… is.. An Extravaganza so I guess its O.K. This three piece Extravaganza is headed by … you guessed it A guy named Jeff Tucker. With a sound a slightly reminiscent of a early Green Day style band, but with a little style of their own. The Jeff Tucker Extravaganza was also the first band to get a semblance of a pit going, with a good dose punky attitude and lots of energy. Unfortunately  for  Jeff he broke a string on the very first song, but toughed it out and played through the whole set like a true pro. Emulating the question authority attitude of Bad Religion  they played songs like Positives & Negatives and Not human, Not Moral off their Avoiding Confrontation album on True One Records. And keeping with the trend they played a cover of I Want to Conquer the World off the Along the Way tribute to Bad Religion album. I definitely like their style and kick ass energy a little more than the opener, but they didn't bring in as many as cute girls. So it was a toss up.

                 Long Beach's One Hit Wonder was the next band up on tonight's bill. Having been signed to Nitro records and having been around for a few years, the singer for One Hit Wonder was more at ease with his banter with the crowd. Firing off jokes and one liner's in between songs, and even being able to coax a couple of girls out of the audience to dance a jig for the crowd. And in 3 inch high heels no less! The band was a three-piece power trio, consisting of a good drummer and bass player, but the real show was the front man for the band. Comical and sardonic, he kept people interested in the show with his energetic playing style and witty rebuttals; he even played a solo with his teeth ala Jimi Hendrix's. They also played "Two babies in the Dark,” their song off the Along the Way tribute cd, which rounded off a good performance for the night. But there was one more band left for tonight's show, the ever infamous Mindriver.

                Now if you have ever seen Mindriver you know that they are a good energetic punk band along the lines of your typical O.C. Band. What you also probably know is that their singer is way stuck in the rock star 101 life style. Its 11:00 o’clock at night in a dark club with black walls, but Mindrivers singers is so cool he still has to wear shades. He's also got the Mark McGrath/ Cruella Deville skunk hair going for him, very ahh … punk I guess. Now I’ll give credit where credit is due. The band is definitely talented, tight, and full of energy. But I have always thought they seemed to be in music for the chicks and not the music.  But that’s just my crappy opinion; I guess the rest of the crowd that was there to see them must not have my jaded musical taste.  Decide for your self, go out and grab a copy of  “Along the Way” tribute album and see what you think  for yourself. What do I know?

- Snack Baggs

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