Home Invasion Tour:

The Deviates
Mike V. and the Rats
Sixer
Lunacy
Hevy Trevy and the not so Fat Kids
Sept. 22, 2002@ the Troubadour, Hollywood CA.

Photo Galleries by: Mark A. Whitaker & Jeff Greenwood

I was glad for the Home Invasion Tour to make it's way to LA, I have been a fan of Mike V's for a while now. I really enjoy the innovative way in which he skates, not afraid of doing something different. It was this attitude that brought together Mike V. with whom would soon be his Rats. A couple of the guys from a great punk band know as the third degree. I had heard from various unnamed sources that Mike V. was trying to sound like Black Flag and Henry Rollins. I am not one to take rumors and people's opinions as fact, so with this in mind I headed out to the Troubadour to see for myself what the true sound of Mike V. and the Rats was. Luckily Jeff was nice enough to get me in with press credentials so I could document the fun and excitement brought by all the bands to the show.


I can't remember the order in which the bands played so all just give a brief account of the band's performances. There was not much action happening up front but the bands took it in stride and played on. I really wasn't inspired by the band's performance's they did play well but I just wasn't into their music. Hevy Trevy and the not so fat kids were fairly entertaining as Heavy made fun of himself by pointing to his "not so fat friends" during the introduction to one of their songs. They played well and were entertaining but just weren't that exciting to watch. I know that as a writer I am supposed to be objective but, I just was not really into most of the bands, they all played well and were really cool but just not very exciting musically.



The main band I was set on seeing was Mike V. and the Rats, they played really well and Gish and Jason on bass and guitars were amazing. They play so well, nice fast and hard with some solos to really makes you want to either start moshing like a mad man or headbanging hard with your hand held high flashing they horns. Mike V. sounds nothing like Henry Rollins and the Rats sound nothing like Black Flag, not that it's a bad thing it's just refreshing to hear some good punk music that's fast and hard with an old school feel. It was surprising that not many people were really into them but I did see some stage dives and the people that were moshing and going crazy looked like they were having a blast. I even saw a few brave girls take a few turns in the mostly male dominated pit, but these girls could hold their own and would push any unfortunate guy caught in their path out of the way. I really liked mike V. and the rats and wished that they would have played a longer set but, it's better to leave them asking for more than asking you to stop.


After Mike V. and the Rats, were the almighty Deviates, these guys though young were clearly the crowd favorites as the crowd went nuts seems like the whole place came alive and rushed the stage area. There were people stage diving and singing along. The singer was great he made sure everyone got a chance to sing along as he would rush from one end of the stage to other constantly putting the mic out to the crowd. I saw a lot of happy people out there smiling at being there for such a good show. The Deviates played a long set and made a lot of people very happy at the end when everybody got the chance to sing along onstage. I had a great time and was glad that I took the chance to see Mike V. and see for myself what they were really like, it was great show and fun was had by all.