U.S. Bombs

U.S. Bombs • The Pushers • Damnation 
• F-Minus
April 7, 2000 @ Tiki Bar, Costa Mesa, CA
By: Tim Buctoo
Pics by: Scott Wulfestieg

We at dead on the web know if you want to start off a web magazine right, you half to start it of with a great show, and we did the U.S.Bombs. The local legends packed the Tiki bar to near capacity. The crowded club was thick with sleeves of tattoos and wife beaters. And you should see what the guys were wearing. You know it’s going to be a crazy night when the Tiki bar starts to pack, for the opening band. But tonight a great show had the crowd getting there early so they wouldn’t miss the anathematic tunes of the U.S.Bombs. But the night was still young. And F- was tuning up for the show.

F-minus was the first of two hellcat recording artist to play tonight (the bombs being the other) at the Tiki bar. The last time I saw F- about a year ago they were a three piece. To my delight they had picked up an extra guitarist. It definitely was a wise decision on their part. Last time I saw them their band sounded thin but very angry. Now their sound is much fuller and they still seem to be angry. Their energetic singer spas med all over the stage flanked by two beautiful girls. With great bass line and some of the most aggressive music I’ve heard in awhile. If you like your music loud and angry F- is a must see for you.

Up after little delay were L.A.’s hellions of hell, Damnation. This spawn of Satan unleashed their punk onslaught on the crowd and got their attention pretty quick. Their rambunctious brand of punk and roll music got the crowd of their ass for the first time tonight. Shaun Kama was a whirlwind of aggression, almost daring the crowd to come closer, as he lunged and writhed about the stage. No one was safe when Damnation puts it into overdrive. Playing hit’s like "drunk & stupid" got all the stupid drunks to start some semblance of a pit but the night was sort of early for damnations brand of late night horror. Unfortunately because of the big turn out a lot of ardent damnation fans were stuck outside waiting to get in. They missed the great show that Damnation put on.

Next up to play were the Pushers. I’ve seen the pushers a couple of times know and they’re slowly starting to grow on me. If you want a label I’d put them in the old school 77’ punk category. Really good guitar strong rhythm section and good old punk rock songs will always get the crowd going and that what the pushers accomplished. It’s hard to play before a local legend but the pushers were more than up to the task.

It was time for the headliner to play, and the stage area was packed. I hadn’t seen the

Tiki bar this crowded for quite a long time, but it was the bombs coming up next. So everyone wanted to get a good view. And Duane did not let anyone down. Clad in a suite made of pure punk rock and sporting a red derby.

Duane Peter’s and the bombs took the stage with a personnel favorite "orange crunch" of their Hellcat release "war birth." The crowd erupted into a madhouse with people climbing up the ten-foot speaker stands and launching into the swirling crowd.

The U.S.Bombs have become THE old school punk band of the orange county area. And their raucous crowd came to sing every word to every song. One after another the bombs played their brand 77 punk. I could only stand about twenty minutes in the eye of the tornado we call the U.S.Bombs, and get to safer ground. As I was making my way out I noticed security rushing all over the place. I guess a guy introduced his forehead to this guy’s hand a couple of times. So before you knew it Costa Mesa’s finest was there in force in a matter minutes. Usually that’s not a good thing so I was out of there.