Agent Orange @ The Trocadero.

Text and images by Mattitude from Modern Bropar.

Surf Punk legends Agent Orange brought their So-Cal sound to the the upstairs bar at the The Troc on Thursday.

Having the privilege to open for Mike Palm and his updated rhythm section was new comers Yikes Surf Club and Hostile City favorites Combat Crisis (find them in the next print issue of JUMP). I found Yikes S.C. to be some what of a wolf in sheeps clothing. They opened with their fender guitars drifting the waves of a mellow surf pop sound, but through course of their “sesh” rehashed surf riffs turned into them shooting the curl of a mid-tempo 90’s emo sound.

Combat managed to please the half dozen street punx that I see regularly attending their shows. Throw in the other 20 something ragers in attendance and let the circle pits and sing alongs commence. Finally Agent Orange took the stage with a set list that looked like a grocery list for a family of ten.

Tightly packed within these lines of text where the first wave hardcore punk songs that established Agent Orange, and the epic surf music that cemented their legacy. For good measure the trio broke out “Police Truck” by the Dead Kennedys, and opened the encore with Johnny Kid’s “Shakin All Over”, made famous by the Queen of Rockabilly, Wanda Jackson.

Aside from a little amp trouble that Mike Palm worked seamlessly with, this show was a fantastic reminder why reverb is king and Leo Fender should posthumously be awarded the National Medal of Honor.