So, it's been a while since I last blogged, as I've been mad busy with final year work and postgrad applications/ interviews, but in the last week or so there's been a couple of things that I really thought deserved my attention and meditations within the great world of the 'punk' music scene (I use this term in the loosest sense of the word, so leave out the "OMG WTF, THAT TTLLY IS NOT PUNK. UP THE PUNX OI OI!!!" comments please).
Firstly, on March 21, NOFX frontman and legendary punk joker Fat Mike performed at Emo's Annex in Austin TX during the final night of SXSW festival. However, this was no usual performance and what happened on the stage that night was something that no music fan with any prior of knowledge of NOFX would have predicted.
Mike appeared as alter-ego Cokie the Clown (which also happens to be the name of NOFX's latest EP) playing an acoustic set of NOFX songs, both old and new, on a minimal stage that featured a stool, a small bar table and a television set. He came onstage, in full clown regalia, pouring a tray-full of shots of tequila before handing these out to the crowd and downing a few himself. Now, to anyone familiar with NOFX, a description of this behaviour might not come across as that out of character, being notorious for their onstage clowning around (excuse the pun) and intoxicated antics, but very early on in the set, with his sombre facial expression, it was very clear that this was going to be no party.
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| Tears of a clown: Mike at SXSW (Photo: Pinpoint Music) |
