Honolulu Weekly

Not to sound like the old crank, but you crazy kids with your big pants, skate parks and tiny skateboard wheels don’t know how lucky you have it. Back in the early ’80s during the middle of the second wave of skating popularity, TheBus wouldn’t even let you on board if you were carrying a deck.

During the same time frame, a trio out of Orange Country, Calif. calling themselves Agent Orange released Living In Darkness on the Posh Boy label, since re-released by Rhino in its dedication to make sure essential albums never go out of print. And it is essential–eight songs and not a bad one in the bunch, melding surf melodies and skate rock sensibilities with dark lyrics that would almost qualify them as an emo band, if they didn’t sound like they were having such a good time at being miserable and without having to blow out their vocal chords to do it.

While they proudly wore their skate punk label, even releasing a board through Vision Skateboards featuring those hideous but ever-present ’80s day-glo colors, they didn’t relate to the rapidly expanding hardcore scene, instead preferring to keep their surf roots, including a cover of Dick Dale’s ‘Misirlou,’ (featured on the opening credits of Pulp Fiction), though they renamed it ‘Miserlou’ to keep the melancholy theme going. Subsequent EP releases concentrated even more on harmonies and slower tempos, losing some of their edge, and the band took a small hiatus from playing.

Since 1986, Agent Orange has only released one live album and two greatest hits compilations, but there’s no doubt of their staying power. When they finish with this show, they’ll join up with the Vans Warped Tour, so the $6 ticket price makes this one a no-miss show. Local heroes Grapefruit, Dr. Zaius, The Substitoots and Democratic Fistfights open. With the money you’ll save, be sure to pick up Jason Miller and 808show’s newest local compilation, Hawaiian Punk, Volume 2.