For weeks, it had been billed as "D.O.A. Performing Hardcore '81" but it ended up being a bit of a misnomer. Rather than playing that landmark Canadian punk record — the one responsible for giving an entire subgenre of punk its name — in its entirety, followed by a subsequent set, the Vancouver punk legends went for something else entirely, interspersing the classic play-through with noted favourites both old and new.
It's a bold move for a longstanding act that paid off — new songs like "Pipeline Fever" had the energy and attitude to fit right in and nobody in their right mind was going to object to the band playing songs like "World War 3," especially when they were playing them well.
In many ways, the audience was treated to the sight of a legendary punk band having fun with the idea of playing an esteemed record from front-to-back. D.O.A. survived their contemporaries and watching them play was a master-class in performance. Joey Shithead conducted the crowd with every grunt, hand flourish and guitar solo, whether it was played behind his back or with his teeth. Even when the music would stop for Shithead to give a quick talk about getting Harper out of office, or speaking about the ills of the police, it was a breather for the band before slamming the elated crowd with more music to pogo to.
It's a bold move for a longstanding act that paid off — new songs like "Pipeline Fever" had the energy and attitude to fit right in and nobody in their right mind was going to object to the band playing songs like "World War 3," especially when they were playing them well.
In many ways, the audience was treated to the sight of a legendary punk band having fun with the idea of playing an esteemed record from front-to-back. D.O.A. survived their contemporaries and watching them play was a master-class in performance. Joey Shithead conducted the crowd with every grunt, hand flourish and guitar solo, whether it was played behind his back or with his teeth. Even when the music would stop for Shithead to give a quick talk about getting Harper out of office, or speaking about the ills of the police, it was a breather for the band before slamming the elated crowd with more music to pogo to.
