Bad Religion

live in Murcia, Spain (2002)

note: this was written by someone whose first language is obviously not English, but it's worth a read anyway as the concert sounded like it fucking destroyed. - Scott

Friday´s 4 May evening looked like a big date to punk lovers in Murcia (Spain).A mini- festival was going to fall at the Condomina´s bullring (wuth Screw Coco,Comando 9 milimetros,Strawberry Hardcore and Bad Religion as head of the list)

But Murcia seems unlucky at celbrating rock gigs outdoors.And the worst thing happened,the inclemency of the weather appeared when Screw Coco opened.After waiting for a while the organizers decided to hang the concert up.

After the disappointing cancellation all faces turned sad and the bad atmposphere was tangible.The chance to see one of the most outstanding punk-rock bands from the last 20 years looked like lost.But unexpectedly the organizer told us personally a surprising information(while most of the people was leaving):Bad Religion wouldn´t disappoint us.They wanted to play in spite of everything.Even though there was no time and hardly could find another suitable place.They would play anywere.That´s modesty,an act that makes them deserve honour.

So,at 12:00 pm they´ll be playing in a hall (Sala Gamma) that has a capacity of 600.Around 400 persons were in line waiting for the show.
The three support bands wouldn´t play.Bad Religion consciously of that,turned up acting like an imaginary band.They decided to make the support act by themselves in joking mood.Singer Greg Graffin took the drums up,and drummer Brook Wackerman(the new and younger member)played guitar,and a roadie joined them.They extemporized a hard-rock song.It was funny and very odd.Is not usual to see Greg Graffin(a punk eminence,microbiology teacher and owner of two doctorates)playing drums,enjoying hugely.They were ready to make use of and make us feel the same.

The "imaginary band" played a second song that bassist Jay Bentley sang,while Greg was still playing drums.But they quick started the real show.the crowd echoed band´s name incessantly in gratitude of the effort.

They started playing Suffer,all hall was full of power.Even though we were just a few the band knew how to energize us with an unforgettable show.

One by one they played all their greatest hits;Punk Rock Song,Stranger than Fiction,Modern Man,You..The band wasn´t upsted about people climbing on stage.Since 3th song many people jumped from stage into the crowd(but nobody get hurt)Punk anarchy unleashed in Sala Gamma.

They played new hits from "The Process of Belief" like: Supersonic,Can´t Stop It(frantic song which generated a smashing reaction)Broken,Epiphany,Sorrow(first single) and a tremendous "the defense"(where this writer sang the chorus along with the singer).

Halfway through the gig madness took possesion of stage and down stage people were dancing pogo (punk dance;jumping and pushing)
Band and people were fused and some asked for "Change of Ideas" and they played it.

That night was the kingdom of good mood,maybe they were in need of a show like that without security, a little place where they could feel the people.

Acoustics was good even though they assembled all quick.They turned the monitors(essential to musicians can hear themselves playing)to sound louder and powerully.Another thing to be thankful.

After the new hits they played the old stuff from past years(they began in 1982 and made the most important record label,Epitaph)Anasthesia,Recipe for hate,Infected,No Control,I want to conquer the world,while fans were on stage helped by the musicians to raise.Playing Generator madness was unleashed.There was about 10 persons on stage and Greg gave the mic to a guy.That guy sang the whole song(the one who writes helped him to sing,two voices are louder than one)The night was amazing.

Reaching the climax of the concert,they performed Along the way,American Jesus,and Fuck Armaggedon,This is Hell,and 21st Century Digital Boy,perhaps their biggest hit to date ( a song that perfectly depicts how 21st century young people have been trapped by new technologies)at this point,after about 75 minutes of music,it felt like pure ecstasy,all of us gave in to Bad Religion and they thanked that by getting off the stage and blending with us,bursting with huge warmth.Photos,congratulations,laughters,autopgraphs were delivered for everyone.Bassist Jay Bentley (he took part of a funny incident outdoors when he congratulated a guy who sold unauthorized t-shirts of the group for their big resemblance with the official ones.The seller gave him a T)and guitarist Brian Baker were invited to beers.

Despite we were barely 400 people and this usually leads to the loss of interest of the big majority of bands when it comes to playing(some of them even cancell gigs due to low amount of audience)Bad Religion didn´t mind at all,they surrendered to us and I´m sure they would have done the same for just five or their fans.We have to take into account that the previous day they had played for more than 2000 people in Madrid and they would perform for 5000 in Roma 2 days later,then Berlin,London etc.But if we had to describe Punk shortly and there´s no doubt they are,we would say that everything is possible,that´s why the gig started and finished without organization,in every moment the audience joined them in their joy and the night evolved just in the way they and their fans wanted.And that means that we lived with exploding energy amd in a wild way but as taking part of a brotherhood.

An outsanding evening that no one will surely forget.Bad Religion went down to history with one of the best concerts ever played in Murcia.

For a ton of pictures from this concert, go to http://www.galeon.com/murciarock/frame.htm and go to "festimur" section and in the new submenu go to download. There are great photos including Graffin playing drums and Brooks playing guitar and singing.