Friday Night, The Dead Milkmen Delivered at Trees.
In the midst of the Icepocalypse/Icemageddon/Icesaster of 2013, most of the shows in town got canceled.
Two of the only artists left standing by Friday evening: Kanye West and the Dead Milkmen.
And one of these shows was a very big deal. Yup: The last Dead Milkmen show in Dallas was 19 years ago — and the iconic punk outfit wasn't about to let the weather get in its way.
It was a pretty good crowd at Trees, too, considering how freaked out the entire city was about the ice storm. Those who showed up early enough were rewarded with a solid set from the recently formed Radioactivity, a new project from a number of The Marked Men. With a first album released this year and people like Vice already touting the band, it was great to experience the outfit live; there was tons of lo-fi, Dirtnap goodness on display, and it was tight as you’d expect from a Mark Ryan- and Jeff Burke-run group.
Thankfully, though, the headliners weren't about to be upstaged. The highly energetic and on-point Milkmen crashed through a greatest-hits set, covering all the big songs — from “Stuart” to “Bitchin' Camaro.”
The crowd dug it, too. Most of those in attendance seemed like they were at that last Milkmen show in Dallas almost two decades ago, sure. But that didn't stop anyone from keeping warm by moshing and crowdsurfing along with the set — not in the slightest.
For those willing to get out in the cold weather, it was quite the treat — to catch up with these punk legends and to see some up-and-coming locals charm the hell out of the crowd.
Cold night, yeah. But great night, mostly.