Against Me!, Fat Tour 2005 plays in Billings

Four Fat Wreck Chords bands play broad range of punk in weekend performance

   The Fat Wreck Chords concert in Billings, Mont., at the F.O.E. Eagle’s Lounge allowed a break for some Northwest College students Friday, Oct. 7.
   Fat Wreck Chords calls the tour the Fat Tour 2005 with artists The Soviettes, Smoke or Fire, The Epoxies and headliner Against Me!
   Against Me!, a multifaceted band originating in Gainesville, Fla., performed last in the show. Tom Gable is the current vocalist and guitar player, as the only original member. Warren Oakes on drums, Jason Bowman on guitar and Andrew Seward on bass make up the rest of the band.
   A group of characters, the Epoxies, the third group to play, make a new wave, punk type of music. The members of the group act under pseudonyms. At the front of the band is the pigtail-sporting vocalist known as Roxy Epoxy and FM Static plays synthesizer. Viz Spectrum and Shock Diode play guitar and bass. On both guitars they mounted green lasers. The lasers pointed at the crowd through synthetic fog adding visual effects of the sound. Ray Cathode finishes off the band’s roster as drummer.
   Smoke or Fire consists of four guys from Richmond, Va. They played music that some people would classify as straight punk. The Soviettes, a mainly-female band, opened the show.

For punk concert dates in Montana, visit www.mtpunk.com.