Story and Photos: Spencer Fleming
Los Angeles punk rockers Bad Cop Bad Cop made a stop on their Spring Break tour at the Reverb Lounge in Omaha Saturday night (4/16), and it was one awesome party!
First off, huge shout out to Fat Wreck Chords and Black Heart Booking for the last minute guest spots. I had a show scheduled for earlier in the week but apparently KennyHoopla isn't allowing photographers on his tour, so we got shut out. Since I have a serious concert addiction (and I want to provide weekly content) I checked the local schedule for what else was happening in Omaha.
I was fairly familiar with Bad Cop Bad Cop (BCBC) but I hadn't heard of any of the tour support acts. Occasionally I'll look up the openers and get a taste for their music before going to the show, but many times I just go in blind and hope for the best. I chose the latter route here and I was pleasantly surprised.
The first band up was Rational Anthem from nearby Iowa City, IA. This three piece lit a firecracker with their upbeat pop punk bops. I could detect a heavy influence from mid-2000s acts like New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, and of course Blink 182. At one point in the set they even threw in a quick "na na nah" from "All The Small Things". If you're an active pop punk band who started in the last 10 years how could you not take influence from Blink? They're like the Beatles of pop punk.
Rational Anthem did a great job getting the crowd in the mood to dance and start the circle pit. Being that they're only one state over from us, maybe you'll be able to catch them again soon.
Next up was the band Fea from San Antonio, TX. I'm still not sure if they are pronounced "Fee-uh" or "Fey-uh", but however you say it, they rocked!
Fea are hardcore punk rockers flying the flag of freedom, individuality, and the women's movement. Their bi-lingual lyrics and tight rhythms were a breath of fresh air. Shout out to FEA's bass player Jenn! Her birthday was (4/17) so the band was celebrating in anticipation of ringing it in at midnight.
For 30 minutes Fea rocked songs about tearing down the patriarchy and gender equality, and they did with flair. Fea announced that they recently recorded a cover of the Runaway's "I Wanna Be Where The Boys Are" but it's in Spanish. Hearing the song in such a different context was a really awesome experience. Make sure to follow Fea on social media so you can check it out once it's released!
After Fea, a road crew member stepped up to the mic and said he worked for the band Drakulas. "I'm not sure if Drakulas will be able to play tonight. They were taking a bunch of Sudafed and drinking heavily. Let me see if I can wake them up from their drunken stupor."
Shortly after that, four guys in black cowboy shirts and dark sunglasses walked on stage. The band stood at attention as the lead singer shouted "Drakulas!" several times until the crowd called back "Drakulas!" in response.
Before the first note I could tell this would be a fun set. I love it when bands, (frontmen and women specifically) walk that fine line of cocky swagger, but also a bit ridiculous. With his lanky movements and oversized shades singer Mike Wiebe fit the bill perfectly. Before the music even began Mike shouted to the crowd "Drakulas look good, Drakulas smell good, Drakulas make love good". It was an absolute riot from here on out.
Drakula's look and feel were similar to one of my favorite bands of all time, The Hives. With matching black outfits, that garage punk revival sound, and witty on-stage banter these guys were vibing on The Hives' level hard.
Mike told wacky stories about flying into the Grand Island airport and meeting a hustler and surviving the pandemic only to discover a love for Beta-max. You'll probably need to google that last one if you were born after 1994. But yea, it was raw, fast, and a bit ridiculous. A fabulous recipe for a punk rock show. By the end of their set Drakulas had the crowd amped up and ready for BCBC.
It wasn't long before Bad Cop Bad Cop took the stage ready to shred. "Hello Omaha! We're Bad Cop Bad Cop from Los Angeles". The ladies of BCBC were primed and ready to throw down. The crowd packed it in up front ready to receive every rumbling bass note, scratchy guitar riff, and double-time drum fill. A young girl in front of me, maybe only six or seven years old excitedly jumped up and down with ear muff hearing protectors. Talk about punk rock street cred, haha.
BCBC brought a much needed shot of energy to the crowd of weary 40 year-olds. Not to say everyone in attendance was over the proverbial punk rock hill, but I saw a lot of old school battle vests, cab driver hats, and plaid pants. But that's ok. Punk rock never dies! The older crowd still had some circle pit energy left and pushed around just like the glory days. With a 9:00 PM start time it was quite the feat of strength.
BCBC's raucous punk rock jams touched on a variety of topics, from self love and acceptance, to cancer battles, to "love over anger". Not to say there wasn't fierce angry tones in some of the songs, but the spirit of love and freedom rang true throughout the set. What better way to celebrate on a Saturday night than a pop punk party. When it comes to infectious, fun anthems Bad Cop Bad Cop knows how to get the job done!
Bad Cop Bad Cop has one more show on their current tour and then they head out for a month with the Homeless Gospel Choir. Check out all the info HERE
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Bad Cop Bad Cop
Drakulas
Fea
Rational Anthem
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