Concert review: Sloppy Secords – Live in Austin (with bonus Me First mention)

Kick Butt Coffee – 29 Oct 2022

Sloppy Seconds bring their Junk Rock to the weirdest city in the Lone Star state.

Milwaukee, Grand Rapids (multiple times), Chicago (multiple times), Indianapolis (multiple times), St. Louis, Louisville, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Cumberland and Logansport, IN (the Vegas of the midwest). These are some of the cities where I’ve seen Sloppy Seconds play. It seemed like as good a time as any to add Austin to the list. The show fell on the weekend of my anniversary, (the day of actually), and Mrs. Trauma is almost always up for going to somewhere warmer than our Michigan home. Plus, I’ve been meaning to see if Austin is living up to its goal of keeping itself weird. 

While seeing Sloppy Seconds was the flimsy excuse we used for making the trip, we were also able to catch a bonus show. On Friday the 28th we saw the world’s greatest punk cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. They played in a massive outdoor area attached to a fairly small bar on the south side of town called Far Out Lounge. The grounds were festive with colored hanging lights, various vendors and a couple of food trucks. Food trucks are everywhere in Austin, as are above average burgers and tacos. 

This touring version of the Gimmes featured ever present frontman Spike Slawson (Swingin’ Utters, Re-Volts), bassist C.J. Ramone (duh), guitarist Stacy Dee (Bad Cop Bad Cop), and a more than competent guitarist and drummer who I didn’t recognize. I really enjoyed watching C.J. do his thing. I’ve kept up with his solo career, but I hadn’t actually seen him since the waning days of the Ramones in the mid ‘90s. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes played a really fun set filled with bad songs by artists I don’t generally enjoy. Go figure.

Part of the enjoyment no doubt came from my steady consumption of tallboys of Lone Star. If you’re in Texas and you’re looking for a beer that’s not quite as good as PBR, then Lone Star is for you. There was a venue change for Saturday night, but the Lone Star remained the same. The Sloppy show was at a joint in a strip mall on the north side of town called Kick Butt Coffee. It’s a kitschy, hipster coffee shop by day, but can magically transform into a dive bar for punk shows at night. 

The show was sold out, but you were able to take your drink outside to escape the crowd. There were even some outdoor tables in case you wanted to ride out any of the four opening acts. This is really my only complaint about the evening. Five bands are too many for us oldsters, and all local openers should be limited to 30 minutes. The action kicked off about 8:30, so the girls and my pal grabbed a table outside and we settled in for what we knew was going to be a long night. 

Brewtality Inc. started things with a bang. They looked like aging bikers but played a fun set that included Cock Sparrer’s “Because You’re Young” and the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Well”. The singer’s voice actually reminded me a bit of BA from Sloppy Seconds. Shitty Advice was in costume, which added to the Halloween atmosphere. They had a much more metallic sound, and while I dug the singer’s harsh voice, the girls weren’t even tempted to come inside. 

I tried to catch 15 minutes or so of each opener, while not entirely abandoning my companions. 13th Victim were some long-haired punks who played some really solid revved up rock and roll. Worm Suicide were fashionably adorned in matching sequined Liberace jackets. The singer also sported a Mexican wrestling mask. They played a rousing cover of “Children In Heat”, probably better than the “Original” Misfits who were playing three hours north in Dallas. 

It was after 1:30 AM when Indianapolis’ finest finally hit the stage. “Why Don’t Lesbians Love Me?” came three songs into the set. Afterword, larger-than-life Sloppy Seconds singer BA said, “If that last song didn’t get us canceled, then this one will”. Then they launched into the all time classic “I Don’t Wanna be a Homosexual”. BA had both of his knees replaced early this year, and I think it’s safe to say he’s moving easier and in better spirits than he has been in years. It was hit after hit, with minimal breaks in the action. They did throw in a couple deep cuts with “I Won’t Grow Up” from their covers EP Garbage Days Regurgitated (2000), and golden oldies “Human Waste” and “The Pop My Dick Song”. 

Guitarist Ace, bassist Bo and drummer Steve Sloppy were locked in the way a band gets after a week or so on the road. Of course, they played a ton of tracks from fan favorite Destroyed (1989). Songs like “Come Back Traci”, “Germany”, “The Horror of Party Beach”, “Blackmail”, “I Want ‘Em Dead”, “Take You Home” and “Jani is a Nazi” had 200 plus people singing along at the top of their lungs. The three song encore included “15 Minutes…Or It’s Free“ and personal favorite “Black Roses”. BA went into the crowd to get some help on closer “So Fucked Up”, something that wasn’t likely to have happened last year.

By now you’ve probably realized that I’m not really very objective when it comes to Sloppy Seconds. There’s a reason why I’ve seen them 20 times. Their snarky lyrics, big hooks and catchy choruses keep me coming back for more. The shows are always a joyful celebration of everything that’s good about punk rock. Don’t miss a chance to see them if you’re lucky enough to have them roll through your town. As for Austin, I’ve seen much weirder.

Sloppy Seconds setlist:
Queen of Outer Space
You’ve Got a Great Body, But Your Record Collection Sucks
Why Don’t Lesbians Love Me?
I Don’t Wanna Be a Homosexual
The Mighty Heroes
Come Back Traci
I Won’t Grow Up
You Can’t Kill Joey Ramone
Germany
The Horror of Party Beach
Shut Up and Pour Me a Drink
Blackmail
I Want “Em Dead
The Pop My Dick Song
Veronica
Take You Home
Human Waste
Ice Cream Man
Jani is a Nazi
Encore:
15 Minutes…Or It’s Free
Black Roses
So Fucked Up

Confessions of a merch whore: I’ve seen Sloppy Seconds a ton, so I’ve got just about everything they sell. I did grab a copy of the awesome show poster, which Mrs. Trauma got signed by all four members of the band. Worm Suicide had an amazing bunch of stuff for sale, and I couldn’t resist a Bones Skateboards inspired patch.