Zero Boys rock, Cro-Mags roll ... out the madness at Seattle Soundfest Day Three

Seattle crowd digs the Zero Boys. Cat Rose photo.

By Cat and Andy

Complete fucking mayhem.

As the Cro-Mags hit that first chord, the people scrambled immediately into the middle and onto the stage -- they looked like the scarab beetles from the movie "The Mummy" attacking in the "Goodbye Beni" scene.  It was insane, we jumped onto the seat that we were standing by, naively thinking we would be safe there as Cat was trying to take photos, but that was not to be.

Cro-Mags' John Joseph gets intense. Andy, Cro-Mags photos.

The people flying from the Vera Project stage last Sunday night came all the way to the edge and into us on the far right standing on the seat as if we had a target on our heads. Cat’s hand was wrenched, but luckily the camera was okay. Cat talked to a chick in the bathroom later that said she had been kicked in the head at least three times... we think everyone at the show was kicked or hammered in one way or another. Let’s just say that this will not go down as a bruise-free show, but that just means it will not be forgotten any time soon.

After it was all over, we talked to our friend Scott, who was actually volunteering and cleaning up at the gig -- he said that they only had two security people working, and that is why it was so out of hand. With only two security people in that scene, they probably ended up just joining in, as you definitely could not fight it -- so why not!

Zero Boys close out Soundfest in style

With an arm raised and a nod of the head, singer Paul Mahern signaled that it was Zero Boys time.
After a 29-year wait, Andy finally got to see the band again (it was Cat's first time), and it was like going back in a time machine to the glorious night the ZB's played with Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, MDC and the Detonators at the Barn at Alpine Village in Torrance, Calif., in July of '82. (If you look at that night's set list shown here, Sunday's was much of the same! Just like the T-shirt from the Day One entry, old is definitely the new young.)

Zero Boys vocalist Paul Mahern. Cat Rose, remaining ZB's photos.

Mahern and drummer Mark Cutsinger sport white hair these days, but the youthful energy, searing vocals and mighty drum chops are still there. Tufty still manhandles the bass with a grin on his face (he once told Andy at a Toxic Reasons gig that he got chills while recording the ZB's classic "Vicious Circle" record). And lefty guitarist Vess Ruhtenberg is a wiry man, stretching his arms and legs all over the place, hitting the notes like an all-star slugger while hamming it up for the crowd.

Vess Ruhtenberg.

Tufty!

When the Zero Boys played, the crowd sang, and the hardcore-punk-pop from the Indianapolis band ruled the evening. All was right in the world for awhile.

ZB's drummer Mark Cutsinger.

ZB's set list circa '82 ...

Crutches singer Adrien takes control earlier in the evening. Cat Rose photo.