The Current presents The Linda Lindas
Saturday, April 12
6:30 pm
Fine Line
318 1st Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55401
The Linda Lindas
with Pinkshift
Doors 6:30 p.m. | Show 7:30 p.m. | All Ages
The Linda Lindas
Since going viral with their LA Public Library performance of their song “Racist, Sexist, Boy” the world has watched The Linda Lindas scream about injustice, sing about growing up and exhibit the kind of altruism that is so meaningful to the punk scene. While their evolution as writers, performers and studio geeks is clear on No Obligation, their ethos remain steadfast. The band has released three great album cuts so far, the anxiety filled ”Too Many Things,” the scorcher “Revolution / Resolution,” and the album’s addictive lead single “All In My Head”. With all four musicians each contributing to the writing and lead-singing, the songs are as varied and dynamic as the girls themselves, however the listener always senses the underpinning of both their shared world-view and their bond.
No Obligation, the second full-length album (released on October 11 via Epitaph Records) from The Linda Lindas further advances their unironic, joyful, and exciting trajectory of mashing up L.A. punk with post punk, garage rock, power pop, new wave and rock en español. Written and recorded by the band during spring breaks, winter breaks, and long weekends (Lucia de la Garza and bassist Eloise Wong are still in high school, drummer Mila de la Garza just finished middle school, and Bela Salazar is patiently waiting for them to get done with it already), the new album has been in the works for the last two years whenever they weren’t at school or touring.
The Linda Lindas most recently shared “No Obligation” - the ferocious title track. “I don’t got no obligation,” roars Eloise Wong in the album’s opening song - “just brush off all expectation.” From the first moment of their sophomore release, it is clear that The Linda Lindas are here to defy expectations and challenge the norms.
Pinkshift
Pinkshift aren’t an apologetic band. In fact, they’re a heavy, vehemently unapologetic punk band whose songs rail against prejudice and oppression while also examining in great depth the human condition. And yet Love Me Forever, the Baltimore, MD trio’s debut album, begins with an apology. ‘I’m so sorry that you’re seeing me this way’ spits Ashrita Kumar (they/them) at the start of opener “i’m not crying you’re crying”, the first five syllables unaccompanied by music until the rush of guitars and drums – played by Paul Vallejo (he/him) and Myron Houngbedji (he/him) respectively – kicks in and the song accelerates into a frenzy of raw, ragged emotion (and denial thereof).