It's Funny Because It's True...
You know, I've played several live shows while intoxicated. Hell, I'd estimate that 99% of the time I play I am under the influence. But somehow we never sound close to as tight as an intoxicated NOFX. I have seen them live, and it really is as bad as people say, and yet somehow on both of their live albums they seem to have their shit together. I suppose being a band as long as they have been, there isn't really any excuse for them to play poorly. They certainly make a go at it though. This live album was advertised as "Part Comedy" and it is pretty damn funny. But what really struck me is the tightness that the band achieves. Particularly on the new arrangements of the old songs. Starting with "Your Wrong" which was a great song to begin with, but now add the trademark NOFX drum part and you have a classic tune. Even if some of the chords were wrong, as Eric Melvin proclaims at the end of the song. Next up is "Franco UnAmerican", which I never really cared for much on the studio album, but it winds up being a pretty good live track. Especially when Fat Mike needlessly changes the words of the song to "Listening to The Dead Kennedy's and Ragan Youth" and not so needlessly to: "We all know George Bush is an imbicile, he loves Dick but he hates homosexuals"
Following this song there is a 'comedy' portion involving Fat Mike's signature iced cream: Chunky Drunky. Bringing us to 'old slow song turned fast' part 2. "Scavenger Type" somehow actually loses a bit of its bite compared to the acustic version on Punk in Drublic. The song reedeems itself at the last verse, with a high pitched save from guitarist El Hefe. After an AFI diss, they spiral into take three of "Whats the Matter with Parents Today" which is a great track, and plays even better on this live version...even with the dirty lyric change. The album loses my attention with the next two songs. "The Longest Line" is a great song. Just not that great here. And I have never been a fan of the "Happy Birthday Song".
"Eat The Meek" is a great song. But again, not really something to be played live when the rest of the set is going 100 miles per hour. Speaking of which, the next 9 songs take place in the span of about 7 minutes. Starting with an excellent new version of "Murder the Government" the marathon includes "Monosylabic Girl" "I'm Telling Tim" "Instant Crassic" "Can't Get the Stink Out" "See Her Pee" "I Wanna be an Alcoholic" "Fuck The Kids" and "Juicehead". Stink and See Her Pee both steal the show with their awesome choruses and swift kicking drum beats. Taking a well deserved breather the boys, led by El Hefe on Trumpet 're-imagine' a Herb Albert song. Yes, Really.
Jumping right back into the action with "Lori Meyers" NOFX proves why they have been a band nearly as long as I have been alive. This has always been one of my favorite of their songs, and with Mrs. Eric Melvin doing singing the "Lori" part, it is somehow better than the studio version. Speaking of better than the studio version... "We March to the Beat of Indifferent Drum" is a tough call. They changed it up on us and took one of the best tracks from their last record and NOFX style 'ska-ed' it up. And just when you are getting comfortable the second chorus comes up and they go back to playing faster than you can think. I can't confidently say I like the new version better than the old one, so I will have to picture them as two different songs. Both freakin awesome.
The next track, "I, Melvin" with accordion accompaniment by Matt from Flogging Molly, is one of the highlights of the record. It seems like it might be a joke, but I think it is a very depressing song in which guitarist Eric Melvin sings about drinking too much, not contributing to society and being the "second guitar...always on the third string" But hey, Eric, at least you got this song out of the deal, right?
Digging deep in the NOFX vaults comes the next track "Green Corn" from the Ribbed album. They tear through this nearly 20 year old track with El Hefe nailing the guitar solo. This is the best they play on the whole record.
Which leads to the best track on this live extravaganza. "Whoops, I od'ed" used to be a slow song. But in keeping with the trend, it is fast now. And infinitely better than the original version. The band has it together, and improve on an already great song. The last official song on the record is another oldie. "Stickin' in My Eye" has long been one of my favorite NOFX songs. And there is definitely no disappointment here. They play this song as if they wrote it last month. It still sounds fresh and fast and rockin.
After the song is over, an extremely frustrating thing happens. The crowd cheers, the band comes out for an encore. They start to play "The Decline..." and its very exciting, I mean, no shit! they are actually going to no play their 17 minute epic track. And I'm sure they do. But for some dumb reason we only get to hear the first minute before it fades out. WHAT THE HELL?
24 tracks, and if you believe the liner notes they were unreasonably intoxicated throughout all of them. This is a great live record, but it does have its low points. NOFX has released some 15 records and countless comps and 7" records. They always prove to be a great band with a lot of talent. They are out to show us that they are "Pushing 40, and doing just fine" and they do show us without a doubt that they are living the dream, and they are not going anywhere for a long time.
3 1/2 stars... not 4 because of some of the songs being terrible. And not 3 because some of them are incredible. If this had less tracks it might not have seemed so up and down. But hey, NOFX has been together since 1983. Who the hell am I to tell them how to do things.
Reviewed by: Pete
