At the Drive-In

By David R. Parvo

At the Drive-In
Emo’s, Austin, Texas
10/09/00

If you are anything like me, you’ve had more than enough of the commercialized punk rock crap being rammed down the public’s throat by corporate executives whose decisions appear to be largely based on their teenage daughters’ reaction

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to a band. So, on a cold, rainy Monday night and jaded to the nines, I went to Emo’s to see for myself if the industry buzz surrounding El Paso’s At the Drive-In is justified. It is. Believe me, it is.

Right after I bought my first beer, the five members of At the Drive-In and their big MC5 hair exploded onto the stage like a molotov cocktail with a blissfully unremitting outpouring of youthful energy that made everyone in the audience feel fifteen again. Playing with a fierce chemistry and running full throttle on unadulterated adrenaline in the great primal tradition of the Stooges, the band put on a clinic of disjointed distort and punk rock guitar riffs that was as breathtakingly pure as it was honest.

From “Invalid Litter Dept.” and the absolutely scalding “Pattern Against the User” to “Cosmonaut” and the tongue in cheek “Rolodex Propaganda,” ATDI proved that they can make their music expand and contract at will with a cool sexual swagger. If you are looking for a comparison strictly for comparison sake, how about this: Chavo Pederast era Black Flag (circa “Jealous Again”) but with pop hooks and power-poppy chord progressions and melodies along with the emotional angst of early Sonic Youth. Unlike the Offspring or some other pseudo-punk rock band that sounds disconcertingly like the Scorpions, you won’t hear these guys on your local hard rock channel, but you’ll definitely hear of them soon. And can I get an “Amen” for that?

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