Grand Rapids MI – 26 Apr 2023
A great team up for a fun midweek show
It was another one of those nights where I had to drag my old ass out of the house, but I ended up glad that I did. Direct Hit! will always have a special place in my heart due to frontman Nick Woods being the organizer of Dummerfest. For three years, (‘15. ‘17 and ‘19), Dummerfest brought a wide range of punk bands to the suburbs of Milwaukee for the one day event. We went to the second and third editions and saw Off With Their Heads, Negative Approach, The Copyrights, The Brokedowns, Toys That Kill, The Lawrence Arms, Direct Hit! and so many more. They were held at a joint that’s now called the X-Ray Arcade, which is a great punk-owned bar that is definitely worth a visit.
Direct Hit! made a stop in Grand Rapids as part of their 10 date midwestern tour. They brought along California quartet Decent Criminal, who were playing Michigan for the first time. Local pop punk band American Cheese opened the show but we missed them entirely.
Another local, Boob Sweat, had just started when we walked in. I’ve been watching this band play for quite a few years, and they keep getting better. The one time all female trio has only one woman left standing – vocalist/bassist Kate Zacharias. The feminist themes might be more muted than they once were, but the improved songwriting and performance are undeniable. I used to consider them a fun novelty act, but it’s clearly time to reconsider.
My knowledge of Decent Criminal was limited to hearing them name dropped and checking out a few songs on Spotify. While their take on punk runs a bit indie/grunge for my taste, I enjoyed seeing them live. They played a fun song about not liking heavy metal, and a Guided By Voices tune that I didn’t recognize. They closed with the Nirvana classic “Territorial Pissings”. I was left to ponder the fact that Nevermind came out the year I graduated from high school, and that most of the crowd hadn’t even been born yet.
Direct Hit! treated the enthusiastic crowd to a bombastic performance of a dozen or so of their greatest hits. Favorites like “The World Is Ending (No One Cares)”, “Snickers or Reese’s (Pick Up the Pieces)”, “Werewolf Shame” and “Was it the Acid?” were all there. Woods also spent a fair amount of time making funny and/or awkward small talk between songs. One of my favorite moments was not musical. Woods asked the crowd, “Did you see The Simpsons episode where…”, and most of the crowd yelled back yes without letting him finish.
Direct Hit! continue to feature a revolving cast supporting vocalist/guitarist Woods, but you wouldn’t know it. The four piece band was tight and seemed to be enjoying themselves as they played their pop punk with hardcore intensity. They closed with the Cock Sparrer classic “We’re Coming Back”, from 1982’s Shock Troops. I hope they do come back, and it would appear that I’m not the only one in Grand Rapids with a soft spot for these cheeseheads.
Confessions of a merch whore: I didn’t buy anything, and I’ve actually been feeling a bit guilty about it. Direct Hit! had a pretty good spread, and I only have a couple of their records. There are a lot of shows coming up in May, and I was feeling like I’d better save my money.
Part-time punk writer, suburban dad and angry old man. Follow my adventures on the Punk Till I Die podcast!