In 1979, Black Flag played their first show at Moose Lodge 1873 in Redondo Beach, California. On Thursday night, more than 34 years later, Flag -- a group comprised of former members Keith Morris (vocals), Chuck Dukowski (bass), Dez Cadena (guitar/vocals) and Bill Stevenson (drums), with Descendents/All guitarist Stephen Egerton -- played the same venue to an invite-only crowd of less than 200 people. Towards the end of the set Dez Cadena swapped the guitar for the mic to sing "American Waste", "Thirsty & Miserable" and "Six Pack" before Keith returned to finish off the set.
Tobe Bean recounts...
"Around 25 years ago a friend of mine handed me a gray TDK cassette tape that simply read "FLAG." I had absolutely no idea what was on it nor what that simple four letter word even stood for. From the first second of music that played out of my shitty boom box I was in love. The sheer ferocity and sense of urgency turned me into an addict. I had to have everything by that band. It took me a month or so to realize they were actually called Black Flag. Finding anything by any punk rock band in Alaska in 1987 was next to impossible let alone Black Flag. Everything about them spoke to me... the music, the lyrics, the imagery. Of course by the time I got into them they were over and not like they would have been able to get that van up to Alaska. I resigned to the fact that I would never see my favorite band. Now he we are are 25 years later and we started hear rumblings about a Black Flag reunion... actually 2 of them! Holy shit!!! But of course there is a little apprehension because all of us have seen some of these reunions destroy the legacy of such bands with pathetic performances with no heart.... Last night as I was preparing to go to see an arena rock show I get word that "FLAG" would be playing at 8pm sharp at the famed Moose Lodge in Redondo Beach. Hallowed fucking ground. The same spot where they played their first shows. This was 6pm... I quickly rang up as many people as I knew and secured entry and hauled ass to get there. I honestly stood around almost intoxicated of the fact that I was going to see them... at that spot... I was sick to my stomach with anticipation. When I saw the guys fire up their amps and heard that familiar feedback and Keith's voice saying, "Don't do anything stupid..." I felt weak. I was thinking please let this be as I've imagined it for the last 25 years. It wasn't... It was more. When they kicked in with "Revenge" it sounded like World War Fucking III. Guys in their 50s proceeded to play an hour of the hardest, gnarliest, most ferocious set I've ever seen... ever. Song to song to song there was no letting up. They didn't just play these songs that we've loved over the years, they attacked them, felt them, bled them. Last night was and IS what punk rock is all about. 5 guys playing 2 minute songs standing on a floor eye to eye with their fans, and stirring all sorts of emotions in a bunch of us who found each other because "normal" people didn't get us. In the new world of music where artists care more about their image and prefer to play to taped and tracked performances it's amazing to have "Flag" back. "
"We're gonna get revenge
You won't know what hit you
We're tired of being screwed"
Setlist was as follows:
Revenge
Fix Me
Police Story
I Don't Care
Depression
I've Had It
No Values
My War
No More
Gimme Gimme Gimme
White Minority
Jealous Again
Wasted
Clocked In
Nervous Breakdown
American Waste
Thirsty & Miserable
Six Pack
Rise Above
Louie Louie
Check out some footage captured below including the whole set..