Kepone

at Pearl Street
by Mike Burke

Knowing that Kepone‘s bass player used to be in GWAR, I expected a bizarre and exciting set by this Virginia band. Although they lacked the stage antics that have made GWAR famous, Kepone delivered a musical attack that will not soon be forgotten.

Originally formed just as a side project, Kepone have blossomed into one of the brightest punk bands on the East Coast. Bringing to mind the sounds of the Minutemen and Tar, Kepone are explosive on stage. Even though most of the crowd was new to the material, it came across very well. Don’t be surprised if Kepone follow in the footsteps of Jesus Lizard in becoming underground punk heroes.

Their rather brief set featured most of the tracks from Ugly Dance (Quarterstick). Frantic rhythm changes backed by funky guitar riffs created an inspiring sound. One of the most memorable tracks, “Henry,” captured Kepone at their creative peak. Originally released as their first single in 1993, it is also one of the stand out tracks on Ugly Dance.