Concert review: Black Flag, The Dickies, TSOL, and Total Chaos – Live in Des Plaines

Des Plaines Theatre, Des Plaines IL – 17 Nov 2022

The So-Cal Punk Invasion brings its mixed bag of geezer punk to the Chicago suburbs.

For the second time in a little more than a month, I found myself in the western suburbs of Chicago to see a classic punk band featuring only its founding guitarist. (See my Dead Boys/The Briefs – Live in Lombard review.) While two shows does not necessarily represent a bigger trend, you can be sure that I’ll be keeping a close eye on this developing situation. 

The official name of this tour was So-Cal Punk Invasion. It featured Black Flag, TSOL, The Dickies, and Total Chaos. The marketing geniuses at the Des Plaines Theatre, without adding a single band, opted for a much more generic and less inspiring name – Punk Fest. Still, the lineup was stacked and I was determined to see The Dickies one last time before they rode off into the sunset. 

The Des Plaines Theatre was definitely not your typical punk venue. Their normal schedule is littered with has-beens and tribute acts. (I guess Black Flag in its current state may be a little of each.) It’s mostly family friendly fare for the honest, hard working folks in the suburbs. The real “invasion” may have been the great unwashed descending on the unsuspecting townspeople. The age range was surprisingly diverse, from young Mohicans to gray first wavers.

Opener Total Chaos was the relative newcomer on the scene, having formed in 1989. Led by founding singer Rob Chaos, the band currently contains 25% of its original lineup. (To be fair, the band has gone through a ton of members, including a young Suzi [Moon] Homewrecker, and I’m not really sure who would constitute their classic lineup.) Also, Total Chaos were the only band performing that I’d never seen.

The venue is a beautifully restored 100 year old theater, and was completely seated. I suspected from the start that this was going to be an issue. The seats directly in front of the stage were temporary, while the ones fixed in place started maybe 30 feet back. At first it was a single brave punk marching in front of the stage. Then a few more dared to join him. The few older bouncers were watching from the sidelines, unsure of how to handle the situation. Eventually they made the right decision, and helped the growing punk horde move the chairs out of the way. It could have gotten ugly. Beyond that, I enjoyed Total Chaos’ 30 plus minutes of The Exploited meets Conflict.

Although they were billed just below Black Flag on the promotional material, True Sounds of Liberty played next. With 75% of their original lineup still in the band, TSOL would have been by far the most authentic group playing. Unfortunately, bassist Mike Roche was sick and had to sit this tour out. TSOL also happen to be a personal favorite. I never seem to get tired of watching singer Jack Grishom pace the stage shouting about necrophilia and abolishing the government. Along with guitarist Ron Emery and the previously mentioned Roche, he’s been doing it off and on since 1978. I’m not sure how many times I’ve seen TSOL, but I suspect it’s around ten. 

TSOL’s most recent LP, The Trigger Complex (2017), was surprisingly good. Still, it was a bit of a surprise that three of the ten songs in their set came from that record. Of course a bunch of the classics were there too. Jack told one of his great, slightly off color stories, and seemed to be in good spirits. The rest of the band was in fine form too. By the time they finished with “Code Blue”, things were reaching a fever pitch in the suburbs.

TSOL setlist:
Sound of Laughter
Terrible People
Superficial Love
Give Me More
Satellites
In My Head
World War lll
Sometimes
Wash Away
Code Blue

I feel like there is plenty of room to squabble about the order of the bands, but The Dickies were up next. They feature 40% of their original lineup, second best among the four acts. Singer Leonard Graves Philips and guitarist Stan Lee founded the band in southern California way back in 1977. I’m sure most of you are familiar with The Dickies’ significant legacy, but it’s safe to say that other than the Ramones, nobody had a bigger influence on what would become pop punk. This was at least my fourth time seeing the band. 

The Dickies were likely the biggest draw of the night, and they did not disappoint. The “clown princes of punk” haven’t released a proper album in a couple decades, but they did play the newer single “Gary Glitter Getaway”. It’s a tasteful little number about everybody’s favorite washed up pedophile rock star. There were plenty of laughs, and some tasteful props too, including a snorkeling mask, a blowup doll, a gorilla mask and a hand puppet. (Although the penis puppet and “If Stuart Could Talk” were conspicuously absent.) It was a ton of fun. If this really is the end for The Dickies, they’re going out in style. 

The Dickies setlist:
Knights in White Satin
I’m OK, You’re OK
Give It Back
Fan Mail
Pretty Please Me
Got It at the Store
Gary Glitter Getaway
The Dreaded Pigasaurus
Waterslide
Doggy Do
Curb Job
You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)
Paranoid
Gigantor

Since 1976 guitarist Greg Ginn has been the driving force behind Black Flag, and accounts for 25% of the original lineup. He’s joined by singer and former pro skater Mike Vallely, who has somehow become the second longest serving member of Black Flag without ever appearing on an album. There’s no denying the importance of Black Flag to the punk and hardcore scenes. Their DIY ethic and example created an underground network that existed until the internet changed everything. They are one of the most influential punk bands of all time, and this was my second time seeing the Vallely version. Allow me to share the setlist before I tell the rest of the story. 

Black Flag setlist:
Can’t Decide
No Values
I’ve Had It
Annihilate This Week
Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie
Loose Nut
Six Pack
Depression
Slip It In
I Can See You
Room 13
Jealous Again
Black Coffee
TV Party
Rise Above
Louie Louie

Black Flag didn’t exactly come out with a bang. Their soundcheck turned into a jam, which became “Can’t Decide”. In fact, their greatest hits set was littered with unnecessary and mostly unwelcome extended jamming. The guitarists from the opening bands would join them while Ginn wailed away on monotonous chords. It was the Punkful Dead. Vallely has a difficult task as frontman, trying to replace a handful of icons. He mostly does it well. He stalks the stage like a madman, although it sometimes feels like Henry Rollins cosplay. 

I must admit, after “Six Pack” I nodded off for a bit. Although I caught a few more bits and pieces, I didn’t completely wake back up until “Louie Louie”. There were a few factors in this – heroic drinking, available seats, and a slightly dull band being the biggest. I was a little bummed to miss “TV Party” and “Rise Above”. When Ginn and company stuck to the basic songs they weren’t bad. He still seems to have the passion, but he just couldn’t seem to keep his eye on the ball. Ginn is undeniably one of the key architects of the sound of punk and hardcore. He’s earned the right to do whatever he wants, even if it doesn’t keep people awake.

Confessions of a merch whore: Total Chaos actually had the best spread. The other bands pretty much only had a couple shirts. There was almost no vinyl. I fully intended to buy the cool tour poster, but when I went back at the end they were all gone.