Photoblog: Beach Blvd via Alex’s Bar

Yeah, yeah—I know we weren’t on the Album, although time and deflated brain cells has convinced many people otherwise.

No, the glorious Beach Blvd compilation was released long before we had even started making a racket in Mom’s garage.
But we never pass up the opportunity to glom onto that classic piece of Punk History!
Shame? We have none!

So when we heard our old mate Jay Lansford was coming out for a couple weeks, the wheels began to turn once again!

Seems Jay was coming in for a reunion of The Unforgiven out at Stagecoach Festival.

Heh, but that’s just one band—Let’s put him to work!

Besides, has it been about 2 years since we celebrated the Summer Solstice with the Crowd and Simpletones?
Time, she files!

As with any proper night at Alex’s, we meet up at Joe Jost’s first for a frosty warmup.

Jay is looking in fine form, and we’re pleased to see that the European lifestyle has not extinguished the So Ca rocker soul within!

And then it’s into the warm cave that is Alex’s Bar.
And let me tell ya, the crowd is in a mood tonight!

This show has brought all the characters out, and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen the room packed like this—-

And then, up on stage—it’s the fuckin’ Simpletones!!!

The band sounds just great, the singing spot on.
Though of course we wouldn’t know if the fellas were singing in Mandarin Chinese, as the whole goddamn room sings and shouts along to every word!

Simpletones, the Crowd—weeeee!
People are dancing, singing along, hugging strangers in celebration of the soundtrack of their youth.

And you can just feel the amused gaze of Rik L Rik looking down from above.

Oh silly mortals—enjoy.
Enjoy while you will!

And then, goddamnit, we have to spoil the mood by climbing the stage and doing our little thing!

Heh—but we have Jay on duty as well, so the crowd is soon soothed by the wailing 3 axe attack.
We are now a Southern Rock band apparently!!

A great night— a night out, a night of music—-is there anything better?
To be among your pals and catch up with life, and to take the time to look back.

We mark off the days with a lazy swipe at the calendar, and we look down at the X’ed out blocks representing so many mundane days.

Ah, but now and then a night comes along like this.
And it’s nights like these that we underline as memories, fine jewels found among the mud, and we take them out, hold them up when we need them.

We squint at the ruby light filtered through its prism, and smile.

Thanks to Wendy Sherman for additional photos!