Report

D.R.I. Plays Nearly Two Hour Set At Red 7 In Austin, Texas

Austin crust punks with their spiked and patched jean jackets came out to Red 7 to support one of the first bands to “crossover” hardcore punk and thrash metal, D.R.I. Most of these punks (including me) weren’t part of the scene when D.R.I., Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, formed more than 30 years ago in Houston. Even some of the older members of the crowd weren’t around during the band’s days in Texas. Their memories were long after the band left for California’s Bay Area. The crowd didn’t need to be 50 years old tonight, though, as D.R.I. played nearly two hours of material spanning throughout their long career.

D.R.I. didn’t come to town with an ensemble of touring acts. Two local artists opened the show. Ditch Witch was the youngest band on the card, but their sound is very much a throwback style. The band categorizes its music on their Facebook page as simply metal, a catch-all term that works well with the various heavy styles the band plays. Their use of gang vocals definitely added a punk element, as did the loudness of Boi’s bass. Musically the band produced segments of thrash, stoner and NOBHM. The band’s guitarist, Nick put on a shredding clinic.

Doom faction, Mala Suerte played surprisingly up-tempo numbers from their forthcoming album. Drummer John Petri, one of the hardest hitters in the area, returned to the band’s ranks. His ability to keep the beat to new songs was impressive, but he was also able to step back into familiar territory with numbers such as “Black Arts” and “The Way of Reversal” both from the band’s 2009 full-length effort “The Shadow Tradition.” They even played some of their earliest material in the song “Open Grave.” Mala Suerte, which in Spanish mean “bad luck,” played a good mix of tempos and vocalist Gary Rosas commanded the crowd with his gruff vocals and catchy phrasing.

Since this show took place in the indoor section of Red 7, the crowd was fairly packed. There was still breathing room, but the hall was full. An intimate crowd meant feeling the energy each band brought, especially D.R.I. Pits could have been larger, but Austin crowds, for the most part, are laid back. Stage diving and crowd surfing were two things the venue did not allow, even kicking out a girl who crowd surfed. These were silly rules for a known punk venue, but there must have been an incident that sparked their decrees.

As stated above, D.R.I. played a set of 38 songs which lasted for nearly two hours. None of the tracks were longer than a couple of minutes. This band blazed the trail for others to write 10 second songs like songs less than a minute such as “Dead in a Ditch.” Kurt Brecht’s rapid fire vocals and anthem chorus lines not only gave voice to personal and societal problems he faced, but gave the crowd an outlet, too. He said “fuck the system” on “I Don’t Need Society” and bemoans paying taxes on “Give My Taxes Back” and forced niceness on “Violent Pacification.” Brecht’s ideas were not lost on this crowd.

The songs mentioned were mostly from the band’s early, hardcore roots. As the night went on, the band moved into thrashier territories playing songs such as “The Five Year Plan” from the album that coined the term “Crossover.” “Acid Rain” and “Dry Heaves” marked material from “Definition,” while “Beneath the Wheel” represented “Thrash Zone” and “I’m the Liar” was taken from “Full Speed Ahead.” The band didn’t just play classic material, they also played two new songs. “As Seen On TV” was a catchy number that harmonized the chorus with the music.

Harald Oimoen’s bass playing was something to behold. His fingers were fast and so much of the band’s rhythms hinged on his playing. He was also entertaining. The band experienced technical difficulties early in their set. While guitarist Spike Cassidy tended to his guitar head, Oimoen and new drummer Brandon Karns jammed covers of Metallica and Black Sabbath. A speedy riff even stirred the pit. Oimoen also plays in Blind Illusion, a Bay area band that formerly featured members of Possessed and Primus.

After 30-plus years of playing fast music, D.R.I. still has plenty of energy to fuel their tanks. If you’re looking for a high-octane show mixing thrash and hardcore, D.R.I. should be at the top of your list.