The dog days may be dragging on, but damn if these southern rockers didn’t deliver.
There’s nothing dull about the Black Lips. These Atlanta rockers speak a unique brand of “American.” They are punk rockers from the south. They are a four piece, four chord band. In the age of auto tune and endless effects, it’s refreshing to see such a raw approach. The simplicity is not just for the sake of being simple. They spoke shortly between rattling off quick, upbeat songs. Had the Ramones been from Mississippi, they may have sounded like the Black Lips.
Black Lips took the stage with no theatrics but plenty of applause. They played some of their biggest hits “Modern Art” and “O Katrina” at the beginning of their set. The hundreds of fans packed into the Pyramid Scheme responded with enthusiasm while moving to the upbeat sound of the Lips. They kept the pace with fan favorites “Family Tree” and “Bad Kids” during the rest of their set which lasted close to two hours. Other highlights from their performance included “It Feels Alright” and “Drugs.”
Chain and the Gang opened for the Black Lips, and they quickly set the attitude of the night. They offered a slower, funkier take on punk rock that featured plenty of breakdowns and jawing with the crowd. Their final song “Detroit Music” was a pulsing number that set the stage for the Lips. However, the song missed a bit with the Grand Rapids crowd allowing the Black Lips to steal the show.
Their constant energy expenditure left them drenched in sweat, and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed. Considering Black Lips past tours have taken them every in North America, and then further to shows in South Africa, Egypt, and Dubai, no matter where you live the Black Lips could end up playing your city. When they come to town, especially if you need a pick me up, the Black Lips are the band to see.
Black Lips
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