Giving it up for the kids

Show Review

Jeff Napier

Kids and grown-ups alike gathered at Dia de los Niños at Chilango's.

Gay Black Republican
Chilango’s
Saturday, April 29

Coming a week after an incendiary performance at a packed Punk Rock Night, Gay Black Republican found itself in front of a different kind of audience: Mexicans. The audience was assembled at Chilango’s, a combo Mexican restaurant/grocery/social hall at 16th and Arlington. Gay Black Republican was there as part of the venue’s Dia de los Niños, or “Kids Day.” It doesn’t get any better than watching a socio-political punk band called Gay Black Republican play at a Mexican kids’ carnival.

Despite all this, or maybe because of it, GBR rocked the house right proper. Pooh-Daddy’s Malkmus-on Angel Dust guitar propelled the tight rhythm section into a raucous punk rock frenzy topped off by a crazy, theatrical lead singer named Tony Garcia. The crowd assembled at Chilango’s was a bit reserved at first, but by the time GBR launched into “Ballet on Barbed Wire,” they were thoroughly rocking.

Gay Black Republican cranks out punk rock for the crowd at Chilango's.

By the time GBR had run through its songlist litany of guns, dope and fucking in the street, the kids were giggling, older women sat in the restaurant part peacefully eating tortas and reggaetron rattled the dance floor. Sideshow Bob-looking bassist Rich Barker was selling CDs hand over fist. “Last week we played one of the biggest shows we’ve ever played and now we played one of the weirdest shows we’ve ever played. We sold out of CDs both times, so it’s all good.”

Your next chance to catch Gay Black Republican is on May 6 at Mo’s Loading Dock. Go.