By Chris Gedos
Testosterone was at max capax Tuesday night for Fidlar at The Smell, on Main St. between 2nd and 3rd in Downtown Los Angeles. Downtown LA, for those of you unfamiliar, is a sort of platform 9 ¾ where one can escape from the rigmarole Hollywood wheel of fortune. One can go to the Smell, soak up the grittiness and easily imagine themselves in Milwaukee, Cleveland, or Rochester, N.Y., discounting the January evening in the high-50’s.The graffiti-laden walls and sawdust floors provide ideal environs for Fidlar, who are first and foremost a punk band.
I wouldn’t be surprised if these guys each drank a couple cans of Monster before their set! To say they played with a fiery intensity would be an understatement. They play louder and more abrasive than on their EP, DIYDUI (great name). But they’re a punk band who can make serious inroads with the indie rock tastemakers. We can all get down with young punks who tip their caps to Iggy and The Stooges. And if you’re a real punk and stuck in suburbia, Fidlar might be a band to change your modus operandi. I can see these guys playing Coachella just as easily as Warped Tour, which is no easy accomplishment.
I nearly saw a fight break out in the mosh. The lead singer’s mic was stolen for thirty seconds. And Fidlar even covered Blink 182’s “Dammit”, a great song whatever your predilections. Vice was on hand to video all the debauchery. Just another night at The Smell for Fidlar.
FIDLAR – Max Can’t Surf
Rating: 8.444
