4th Annual OC Punk Rock Picnic at Hidden Valley Park Saturday Night


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4th Annual OC Punk Rock Picnic
April 9, 2011
Hidden Valley Park

For the modern day punk-rock enthusiast, there is something quite affirming about attending an all-day punk rock festival. Perhaps its that sense of acceptance finally, to be amidst hundreds of like-minded individuals. Or maybe its just that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you see a  5-year-old with a perfectly spiked Mohawk and his tatted mama and papa keeping their ground in the pit. No matter which alternative generation you were a part of, its always good to see that punk is still alive and kicking–and kicking hard, I might add.

The labyrinth-like outdoor venue housed six freaking stages so it was literally an all-out-assault on the senses. Many of the band's set times overlapped of course, but all the better to practice much-needed responsible decision-making for the modern day rebel.
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Agression were amongst the first headlining bands of the day, playing just before 5 p.m. at main stage No. 1. They pleased their fans by playing mostly their early stuff with minimal new stuff. Yup, including their “[Ox] Nard-Core” favorites “Money Machine” and “Rich Kids”.

Immediately after their set, I pogo'd my way over to The “Welcome Stage” to catch Circle One. They had already started their set so I unfortunately missed “Patterns Of Force,” their most popular, pit-frazzling power-anthem. But that is not to say their other songs were not as equally rowdy! Fans nearly tore the band in half during their engaging performance of of “Highway Patrolman.” And well, they did tear the band in half during their cover of Black Flag's “Nervous Breakdown.” They couldn't even finish playing the song and had to try the song over again.


The Yeastie Boys nearly stole the show with their clownification of such punk rock classics as “CLoWNaRCHy in CIRcUS SOLiEL” and “CLoWNiFoRNiA Uber Alle. Their ultra fun set was enhanced by confetti, beach balls and even some tasty cheese popcorn.


The show's touted headliners were the East Coast metal-esque sounds of The Dwarves and The Cro-Mags, but the real headliners of the night were The Angry Samoans. Singer “Metal” Mike is pretty much a walking American punk-rock encyclopedia and when given a chance to shine, the result was harmoniously transcendent. Their playlist covered a little bit of everything from their active 11-album career, including such favorites as “Light's Out,” “They Saved Hitler's Cock” and–what do you know–yet another cover of “Nervous Breakdown.” Ohh, that pesky, never-ending punk angst. The set culminated in an exquisite (a.k.a. fast) performance of “My Old Man's a Fatso.”

TSOL need not be recapped, their synth-assisted power-chord oldies are always perfectly in sync. After all, they play shows, like, every other weekend.

By the end of the night, it had gotten pretty nippy so people were heading home early, including me. Nonetheless, it was an extraordinary experience of epic punk proportions, and we will be looking forward to coming back (earlier) next year.

Critics Bias: Someone stole my phone during the Yeastie Boys performance and updated my status on Facebook with “braiding my ball hair.”

The Crowd: Inland bro's, punk-rock veterans and their nuclear families, S.H.A.R.P. skinheads and apparently preteens petty thieves.

Overheard in the Crowd: “A phone? That group of younger girls found a phone, turned it off and said they were going to sell it on eBay.” 

Set List (The Angry Samoans)

Electrocute My Cock
Right Side of My Mind
Gimme Sopor
Gas Chamber
Little Black Egg
BBC
I'm in Love With Your Mom
Hot Cars
Todd Killings
Time to Fuck
Tequila/Knowledge
You Stupid Asshole
I 'm a Pig
Slave to My Dick
Steak-Knife
Lights Out
You Stupid Jerk
Homo-Sexual
Carson Girls
Inside My Brain
Baby One More Time
Time has Come Today
Haizman's Brain Is Calling
Ballad of Jerry Curlan
They Saved Hitler's Cock
Not of This Earth
Permanent Damage
Pictures of Matchstick Men
Psych-Out 129
Get Off the Air
Wasted/Nervous Breakdown
My Old Man's a Fatso

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