Teenage Bottlerocket @ The recordBar [10.16.12]

By A:42 | October 2, 2012 at 1:24 pm | No comments | Events

I’ve never been too into pop-punk, even when I was the prime age for it. But judging from my friends who were… you probably still are. So, if you’ve held onto your jubilant teen angst, but stopped following pop-punk because everybody started erroneously calling it emo and asking you if you like Panic! At The Disco, you need to get into Teenage Bottlerocket. They’re pop in the sense that they have catchy light-hearted singalongs that beg you to pogo, not in the sense that they’re looking to be famous enough to have polygons of their stupid haircuts on Guitar Hero: Skater Boy Edition or somesuch. So dust off your Vans, wallet chains, and Descendents T-shirts and support a Tuesday show.

There are some other decent bands on the bill that are worth mentioning. Smoke or Fire are slightly rougher and thus more to my liking. (who may look like a male version of Pussy Riot but luckily don’t suck nearly as badly) have kind of an interesting thing going, as their tunes are poppy but a good lot of their lyrics are about prison, psychological disorders, and other relatively grisly topics alongside their songs about girls. Bent Left, arguably Kansas City’s most successful pop-punk group since the more indie-tinged Get-Up Kids, will also be playing. I’d guess they go on first since they’re the only locals opening, so get there early.