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 Ben Pratt

Selling out is for losers like Bon Jovi: The Get Up Kids visit Brisbane

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Before I get into the experience what was one of the best performances of punk rock I have seen in my life I must first make a confession, but I don’t want it to take away from the validity of what I’m going to say. I love everything about The Get Up Kids. I love the way they all walk out on stage with teacups instead of beers. I love the way the bass player still dresses like a hip teenage version of Robert Smith even though he is pushing his forties. I love the way that every time Matt Pryor has to sing a line he has to stand up on his toes and strain his voice. I love the way there is no fancy backdrop, lasers or lights – just men with instruments. But I mean, you would love The Get Up Kids this much too if you ever got to see them play.

The moment guitarist Jim Supitc and bass player Rob Pope lead the rest of the band out at 10:30pm on the evening of August 5, 2011 the crowd don’t know how to react. It was probably because most of the crowd at this point are still focusing on the spot on the ground between their Chuck Taylors hopelessly trying to avoid any social situation just waiting for The Get Up Kids to start playing, or they are the guys in their thirties who listened to ‘Woodson’ and ‘Four Minute Mile’ when they graduated high school and finally got laid in their freshman year of college, class of ’98. Starting their set with new material from their first release in seven years, There Are Rules, the upbeat nature of the songs and dominant use of keys get people moving and paying attention, even if all the Something To Write Home About fans have no idea what is going on. Although they open with new material including ‘Tithe’ and ‘Regents Court’ the band are no amateurs, they know why people are there, and if you have any idea of this band’s discography then you’re in for a real treat. Among the upbeat new songs are old Something To Write Home About favourites, ‘Red Letter Day’ and ‘Holiday’. Between songs there wis talk between the audience and Suptic and Pryor, everyone is having a good time. It’s not even noticeable that this is the same band that once had a lead singer that refused to sing lyrics and wouldn’t be seen in the same studio together. It’s like The Get Up Kids are born again and there is no crowd, no set list, no worries.

The 1,000 odd people here are privy to something special. A good old-fashioned Get Up Kids jam session, we are just lucky to be privy enough to watch. Everything you could have ever want from a rock and roll set and more. It’s humble, it’s plain and it’s ordinary but it is fucking beautiful. You don’t need fancy Marshall stacks or cool looking T-shirts to reach an audience and have an intimate connection with your fans, you just got to be honest, appreciative and modest. The Get Up Kids are all of this plus class and maturity and are extremely efficient with their allocated set time. Their whole career is encapsulated brilliantly in 90 minutes with songs from every record and era of punk rock these guys have been through. The band perform songs from Walking On A Wire with such a delicateness when Suptic is left on stage to perform a solo effort of ‘Campfire Kansas’ (which sparks a campfire like sing-a-long from the crowd) and Pryor performs ‘Overdue’ – a song he wrote about his hardships and relationship with his father. Matt Pryor continuously tried to make jokes with the crowd. At one point he comes from side stage and says, “A priest and a Rabbi walk into a bar”. He’s met with silence. “No, nothing? No one has anything? Man, I’m going down a turd today.”

In many ways that sums up the career of The Get Up Kids and many of their loyal followers. The idea to never take life, or yourself too seriously. And no matter what happens, even if your jokes fucking stink, the show must go on …

Playing the first song they ever wrote, followed by a personal favourite, ‘Stay Gold Pony Boy’, Pryor takes the band to curtains with a “Thank you guys so much for coming out” and lead into and extended instrumental version of ‘Walking On A Wire’. While I’m waiting for the band to finally come back out and play ‘Ten Minutes’ I hit the merch stand before the rush of post-show money spending fans get in my way. It’s been a while since I have been to an international show and been able to buy a vinyl for $15, a T-shirt for $20 and a CD for $5, but that’s another reason why I love The Get Up Kids. I decide to talk to the merch guy while there is no action on stage (and I have to pretend that the band have finished playing and aren’t actually going to come back on without playing one last song. Encores, seriously, what the fuck?).

Their merch guy is an older gentleman, he’s probably the same age as the band, probably the same one they have used their entire career. He’s wearing hipster shoes, a blue, button down shirt and Woddy Allen glasses. I ask him, “Why are you selling your merch so cheap?” I’ll never forget what he says to me:

“Man, the Aussie dollar is so strong now we can afford to come out to Australia and play shows and be able to sell our merch cheap and still make money. When we told people we were going to sell T-shirts for $20 and records for $15 people were saying no. Promoters were telling us we need to charge $35 a shirt. Fuck that shit, man. That’s Bon Jovi prices. We ain’t Bon fucking Jovi, we’re The Get Up Kids.”

As he finishes talking the lights come back on and just as it was 80 minutes earlier, Suptic and Pope lead the band out on stage for the final time of the night. Without fucking around Suptic strums that first power chord of NOFX’s ‘Beer For Breakfast’ and the kids still hanging around in the pit start jumping around, singing along to every word. When the song abruptly stops, Matt Pryor’s soft, southern voice echoes, “We were The Get Up Kids, thanks for coming out. It’s been fun.” The band goes into ‘Ten Minutes’ and I can do nothing except stand and watch in awe. Buying a T-shirt and record and keeping change from a $50 is pretty awesome. Getting to witness a band that was constantly on repeat during my teenage years is also amazing. Really though, it’s the feeling of going to see one of your favourite bands for the second time, and knowing that after all these years they still haven’t sold out.

That’s the reason I keep coming back, and why I will always love The Get Up Kids.

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