Punky Reggae

For a stint between the late ‘70s and mid ‘80s, Washington, D.C. based punk/reggae band the Bad Brains were the most visceral live act on the planet. With tight musicianship and sets that ranged from blistering hardcore to joint-smoking dub, how could they not have been? But, much like most things in life, time knocked the quartet on the canvas. Luckily, 2007’s Build a Nation proved they weren’t down for the count. Yes, the days of vocalist HR’s back flips, head-first stage dives and rapid-fire singing have been replaced by stand-still performances and a more mellow lyrical style, but drummer Earl Hudson, bassist Darryl Jenifer and guitarist Gary “Dr. Know” Miller still rock the shit out of old tunes such as “Right Brigade,” “Attitude” and “I Against I.” And that’s gotta count for something.
Mon., Dec. 8, 8 p.m., 2008