Concert Reviews: 30th Anniversary of DOA

Posted by admin on Oct 1, 2008 in Arts & Culture | 0 comments

The hardcore punk scene has seen better days, but genre-defining band DOA (local to Vancouver) brought raw punk roots back to the stage for their 30th anniversary show at the Commodore Ballroom on Sept. 19. Featuring guests the Tranzmitors and late-70s, early-80s thrashers Dayglo Abortions, the Commodore had its floors glazed with sweat and beer by the end of the night. But no punches were thrown; in fact, hardcore punk fans of all ages like to help each other out – like by trying to boost a kid up on stage.

Hardcore punk emerged from adolescent white kids who hated suburbia and high school, but wanted to be something, anything, as long as it was different from their parents and their President, Ronnie. Understandibly, the punks appeared. Starting in Southern California and guided by East Coast hardcore bands like Bad Brains, bands like Minor Threat and Black Flag started to get popular. Among these classics was the famous Joey “Shithead” Keithley, DOA’s front man singer and guitarist.

The young Keithley sought ways around mainstream music by creating his own record label.

“I first started Sudden Death Records in 1978 as a way to put out the first DOA record, the 7″ EP Disco Sucks,” said Keithley. In this way, he opened up the Vancouver area to the hardcore punk scene.

With the beginnings of punk nearly gone from what how the genre is defined today, DOA, even at their 30th anniversary, rediscovered these origins without violence, and provided a place where the crowd let out and let loose.