I’ve seen Reishi live twice now – including once under their previous moniker with slightly altered personnel Randy Marsh (thankfully they kept the iconic South Park patriarch’s face emblazoned on their bass drum head) – and each time I left convinced that punk rock never really did die.  I just kinda forget about it every now and then I guess.  That’s what happens in the process of getting old, I suppose, the gradual letting go of all those things that made your youth so special, allowing it to recede from memory as it is replaced with all those boring grown-up responsibilities like going to work and paying taxes and trying to escape student debt.

So punk rock still exists and Reishi is another DIY band trying to keep it alive and as relevant as ever, but it would be a bit dismissive to say that the East Bay-based four-piece is ‘just’ punk rock.  On their recently released self-titled LP they cover the spectrum: surf on “Inflatable Elvis”, grunge on “Across the Damn”, and even hints of reggae-rock on “I Was Right”.  Then, of course, you’ve also got the lightning speed drumbeats and snarled vocals expected of any self-respecting punk band.  Check ’em out at your local dingy rock club.  The next show is listed below.

The Joint, Road Vikings, Reishi, Sticky Valentine
Stork Club
November 9, 2014
9pm, $5 (21+)