Kepi Ghoulie w/ Dog Party, Pets, Conetrauma
Public Space One — Thursday, June 19 at 7 p.m.
Pop-punk tends to attract a lot of ridicule, but Thursday’s show at Public Space One should prove the genre’s worth to even the most cynical among us. Kepi Ghoulie (formerly of the Groovie Ghoulies) will be playing along with Sacramento’s Dog Party, Pets and local duo Conetrauma at 7 p.m.
With a genre like pop-punk, when an artist is still playing by the age of 25, they’re essentially lifers. When they’re approaching 40 and are still sneering out catchy, two-minute songs to hop along to, they start to take on a legendary status.
Kepi Ghoulie is decidedly legendary — as the frontman of the Groovie Ghoulies, he’s been prolifically releasing some of the most consistently entertaining and thoughtful pop-punk since the mid-’80s.
Since the dissolution of the Groovie Ghoulies in 2007, Kepi’s solo project has only grown more productive, releasing a slew of records on the Monte Sereno-based Asian Man Records. Kepi’s songwriting is hugely inventive, creating a world of bright and colorful creatures inspired by cheesy monster movies that acts as a stand-in for the world of misfits who flock to his shows.
Pets and Dog Party are on tour with Kepi and represent the wave of pop-punk directly inspired by Kepi’s former band. Dog Party in particular should not be missed: They’re a sister duo, ages 17 and 14, who have been playing since the ages of nine and six, and they have a new album of powerful Ramones-inspired punk, with biting, sarcastic lyrics that belie their age.
