So many Rancid shows, plus Paramore at Pacific

May 13th, 2008, 9:44 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Ben Wener

I know, I know: “Another new-show post? Doesn’t this guy write record reviews anymore?”

What can I say? Some days (weeks?) this kinda stuff just keeps tumbling in.

Besides, when Rancid announces eight local gigs — two at House of Blues Anaheim followed by six (!) at the Music Box at the Fonda in Hollywood — well, I can’t help but take notice.

The long-running punk band, apparently putting the finishing touches on a new album, plays Sept. 20-21 at the Mouse House and Sept. 30-Oct. 5 at the Fonda. (Hmmm, anyone else notice room for additional Downtown Disney dates?) Tickets — $17.49 for HOB, $24 for the Music Box — go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Stagecoach correspondent Kelli Fadroski and I were debating the merits of Messrs. Armstrong (there he is flying high in a solo set at last year’s Weenie Roast), Frederiksen, Freeman and Steineckert earlier today. We’ve both seen Rancid many times. Her take: They’re just too sloppy now. My take is just the opposite: I think they’ve finally tightened up just enough to sound as compelling live as they always have on record.

Whichever the case, should you be on the fence about bothering, the opening acts might be the convincers — and here the L.A. gigs kinda have it over the O.C. dates.

Warming up at the Mouse House will be H20 and Civet on Sept. 20 and Guana Batz and Bad Luck Bandits on Sept. 21. At the Fonda, however, each night has at least one top-notch name in the undercard … Sept. 30: the Adolescents and Left Alone … Oct. 1: T.S.O.L. and Banda Newsense … Oct. 2: Dr. Know (the punk band, I presume, not the Bad Brains guitarist) and Switchblade Riot … Oct. 3: Manic Hispanic and Society’s Parasites … Oct. 4: the Aquabats and the Oohlas … and Oct. 5: MxPx and Los Creepers.

Also notable at the Mouse House: Mexican singer-songwriter Aleks Syntek, July 15, $37.50-$42.50. Rather overpriced at the Mouse House: the English Beat, the Alarm and the Fixx, $50-$62.50.

Elsewhere, Pacific Amphitheatre has added a surefire sell-out to its summer roster: Hayley Williams (pictured, at MTV Studios on New Year’s Eve) and pop-punk “It” band Paramore, still gaining popularity off its album debut Riot!, which plays the venue July 30, with an ideal opener — Andrew McMahon’s band Jack’s Mannequin.

Other new additions to spice things up during the O.C. Fair this year: Tom Jones, July 15 … Don Cheto with El Macizo and Banda Imperio, July 25 … and Slightly Stoopid with Pepper, Aug. 2.

All of those go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday as well.

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