Oct. 2 correction: In an Oct. 1 Northern Star cutline, the Northern Star incorrectly named the singer of DeKalb punk band “Richardson” Richardson as EJ Savage. The singer is Tony Martin. In the corresponding article, “DeKalb punks celebrate album release,” “Richardson” Richardson was described as having an electric guitar. The band actually has no guitar, but rather two bass guitars. The Northern Star has left the online version of this article unedited despite this correction to show our mistakes as they appeared in print.

 

Sunday night, five local punk bands performed at the finale of Don’t Panic, It’s A Distro’s two-night Dekalb Brawl City compilation CD release party at the House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway.

“Richardson” Richardson, the third band in the night’s punk-rock lineup, was already playing to an audience of about 40 people when I arrived. Half of those in attendance stood by the stage nodding their heads, while the rest were spread throughout the cafe. “Richardson” Richardson played high-tempo music with screamed vocal accompaniment. Two bassists, prerecorded drums and the screaming, sweating, shirtless, Hamm’s-drinking vocalist kept the audience energized throughout the set. Humorous banter with the audience between songs meant there was never a dull moment.

After a brief intermission while gear was moved about, Hasta Lumbago took the stage. A highly energized drummer and two guitarists sung into microphones, playing sometimes like The Beach Boys and other times the faster, louder type of punk rock common to the House. Between intense thrashing, drum-smashing bits were relaxing oceanic waves of auditory bliss. The audience cheered and clapped, sometimes headbanging and sometimes dancing along.

Dave Anians, a.k.a. Davey Dynamite, performed last. As soon as Anians began to play, most of those still in attendance moved up to crowd the stage area. Singing and playing solo with a fedora and acoustic guitar, Anians performed some of his most well-known tunes. For the next-to-last song in his set, he invited vocalist Danny Collins of The Stockyards to play harmonica with him on stage. Anians came down from the stage for his last song of the evening, All In This Together.

Anians, in addition to playing guitar and singing, is a senior community leadership and civic engagement major. He didn’t discover the local punk rock scene in Dekalb his freshman year and recommended that newcomers to the area ask people involved in the local music scene about shows and bands. He also said new students interested in music should go to The House Cafe to hear local artists. Anians said he is in the process of recording an album, which he hopes to release after or during winter break.

Don’t Panic, It’s A Distro organizer Danny Collins said those who missed the release party can still buy copies of the CD directly from the bands on the compilation or at The House Cafe for $3. The compilation’s 17-track playlist can be heard at the bandcamp.com webpage of Don’t Panic, It’s A Distro.