Give Me Sabroso or Give Me Tacos!

Another great year at the Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce Sabroso Festival!

I got there early and chatted with my cousin & her fiancée. They had just finished eating tacos while the beer tents were in full swing. It was an absolutely beautiful day for a punk rock show!

First up was Denver’s own Dendrites, kicking the music off with some expert ska. The suits were probably pretty hot in the midday sun, would have been better to play later when it cooled off, but they didn’t get a choice. 😄

Next up was The Dwarves, a band whose album covers I remember more than their music but I really liked their set. Their singer, Blag Dahlia, was pretty funny. A true punk character. Honestly, I probably would have been too scared to go to one of their shows back in the day. Something about the lawn & sunshine mitigates that “let’s fight, asshole!” vibe.

My favorite part of the day? The mini-pit these kids started during the Dwarves set:

Strung Out took the stage after (I was really impressed by the set changes throughout the day – great roadies!). They were another band I wasn’t too familiar with but came to like a lot. Definitely more polished punk but I’m not terribly picky, as long as the songs are good.

I couldn’t believe I actually got to see the band who played after Strung out – the storied Black Flag. No, not with Rollins. Or Kira. Or Bill. Or…well anyone from way back, except Greg. But I didn’t care, I got to see them play “Rise Above,” “Black Coffee,” “Depression” and others.

I’ve got my own reasons for not really caring for the band that played next, so I looked forward to Bad Religion. They tore through a set of 16 songs! I’d seen them at Riot Fest in 2013 and was stoked that they’re still going.

Last up was the headliner (for good reason – their singer makes the hot sauce that sponsors the festival) The Offspring. The weather had turned, but the crowd didn’t care, they were there for the music! (I met Dexter once, actually – the night they played Woodstock ’99 in a bar in NYC. He’d flown back by helicopter and was hanging out in the same bar as me – was kind of weird but cool to see him there.) The band pounded out the hits and everyone ate it up – I guess all the energy helped keep the people warm. That’s what you get in Colorado in April, though.

Was great to get back to Sabroso, one of the decent (if aging) punk festivals in the Denver area. I hope they keep coming back and bringing the hardcore energy.