They've Been Around

Perception is everything when it comes to the Circle Jerks. The Los Angeles punk band began approximately three decades ago and put legions of young fans into a stupor thanks to the anthemic “Live Fast Die Young.” The theme of this song presents a conundrum: Are the Circle Jerks too old to die young? From a teenage perspective, receding hairlines are a good indication of when to off yourself, but of all the old punks still pretending to care just to make rent, lead singer Keith Morris and company continue to sound like a contemporary group. They couldn’t have known it at the time, but the band’s lyrical content—which often dealt with anti-authoritarian views and political skepticism—sounds more relevant today than they did when Reagan was in office. So what if they didn’t go the Darby Crash route? For once, a punk band doing the opposite of what they preached is a positive for both fans and band members.
Fri., Aug. 22, 8 p.m., 2008