Sunday, January 31 marked the inaugural monthly Zoom reunion of Lookout Records artists, fans and beyond entitled the “Lookout Zoomout!” These events are hosted by Smugglers front man Grant Lawrence. This event is more than an online performance. Fans are encouraged to ask questions between songs and sets to interact with the artist. This premier edition featured Dr. Frank (Mr. T Experience), Jon Ginoli (Pansy Division), Raf Classic (The Crumbs), Lisa Marr (Cub) and the Queers. Other notable Lookout Records alum such as Christopher Applegren and Donna F (the Donnas) appeared as well. Fans were able to purchase tickets through Side Door Access for this unique event.
Dr. Frank kicked off the event with an acoustic rendition of the MTX classic “Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba” off of their Love Is Dead album. He returns later in the episode for additional performances. This initial jam was followed up by a set from Pansy Division front man Jon Ginoli. For those who don’t know, Pansy Division were the first fully open gay punk rock band. Grant discusses some of the turmoil the band faced while on tour through various conversations in between songs with Jon. The performance began with “Vanilla” from the Wish I Had Taken Pictures album. This was followed up with “I Really Wanted You” which Pansy Division recorded for the same album. Jon tells the story of how this was originally a song from his previous band The Outnumbered. Jon ended his fun set with “Curvature” from the Undressed album. The tempo picks up a bit in the form of an electric set by Raf Classic from the Crumbs. Raf tells stories of what it was like being in a band from Miami, FL which was not necessarily known for its punk rock scene. He performed three songs including “Shakespeare” and “Long Distance Luv” from their debut self-titled LP for Lookout Records. Raf spoke of new Crumbs material being released this year on It’s Alive Records. Lisa Marr from CUB followed with an emotional four song set performed on her ukulele. By request, she opened with the fan favorite “Magic 8 Ball” from their Lookout Records full-length Box of Hair. Lisa also performed the CUB classics “Your Bed” and “New York City.” She spoke often about how CUB enjoyed recording cover songs, such as “Your Bed.” Lisa also performed a new track she wrote by request entitled “Hanging Out With You” which fits well anywhere in her catalog. She told many great stores, especially of her time with Kim Shattuck in the band The Beards. One fan got to tell Lisa during the set that her songs helped him through a rough time with his family. This emotional moment showcased the impact these bands and artists truly have on their fans. MTX front man Dr. Frank returned for a set of classics. He began his second set with “Swiss Army Girlfriend” off the fan favorite Revenge Is Sweat, And So Are You. Frank went on to perform hits such as “Even Hitler Had A Girlfriend” and “I’d Do Anything For You.” He kept saying before songs that he hoped he remembered how to play each of them. Dr. Frank played every song effortlessly it seemed as the music and words flowed naturally. He closed his energetic set with “Last Time I Listened To You” from the 1992 Lookout album Milk Milk Lemonade. During this track, the Zoom focused in on various participants as they sang and danced along. Last, but certainly not least, was an extremely memorable set by the Queers. I can tell you that you have never seen such a chill and laid-back set such as this by Joe and company. Joe was accompanied by current bandmate Cheeto on acoustic guitar and Tambo on various percussion instruments. The set started with the Don’t Back Down album closer “I Can’t Get Over You” that featured Lisa Marr on guest vocals on the original recording. Fans on the Zoom begged Lisa to jump in! The Queers followed this with their cover of the Muffs classic “End It All” as a tribute to Kim Shattuck. This was followed by their classic “Surf Goddess” which came off without a hitch. “I Always Knew” from Don’t Back Down followed. Joe had explained that this track had never been performed live. The Queers ended their set with “Voodoo Doll” from Beat Off. This was certainly a Queers set unlike any other.
This event is truly a reunion for not only the bands, but the fans as well. These songs and performances took me back to a critical time in my life. This was the era when I was going to shows weekly, playing in bands, and buying every new record like clockwork. Based on the crowd response online, others felt the same. Grant Lawrence did an amazing job of moderating and hosting the event. The performances and discussions flowed well. The next edition scheduled for the last Sunday of February will feature notable Lookout Records alumni Dan Vapid, Kepi, Rose Melberg, Dr. Frank, and Lookout Records founder Larry Livermore. Fans can visit Sidedooraccess.com for tickets.