When I first heard that The Widows were next – I allowed my mind to start hypothesizing. These were probably guys, most likely going to wear black, and probably pretty depressed about something.

And yeah, I totally hit it on the head.

A lead, drummer, bass, and rhythm got on stage wearing a blend of black fusion and ripped jeans, with clean cut hair styles and a macho vibe. I thought it was quite cute when one of the members came back to the stage holding a round of what looked like whiskey shots, and all at the same time, the guys raised their glasses and downed them.

Then with a humorous shout out to the crowd, the band began playing highly rhythmic notes. Highly. 

Yeah, The Widows are a punk band.

On that note – be aware that I have a bias against the entire punk genre. When the Dead Kennedys first came out, they were the first of their kind. Same with Joy Division or The Misfits, and all that was cool, fresh, and innovative. But now punk is mainstream, and sadly, all an inbred replica of itself. I’d like to say The Widows brought something smart and creative to the table, but they didn’t. Their’s was just like all the others – mad, angry, sad, a lyrical journey of misfits conducted through musical thrashing and vocal straining.

Yuck.

At one point, The Widows all chimed in to scream “You suck” over and over again. Another song was lead by the hook which stated “No body gonna fuck with me”. I was so over it. I mean come on – life can’t be all that bad.

Of course, The Widows still had some catchy rhymes and heart pumping percussion. During one song, the guitars came to a thudding halt, and while the drums provided a trance-like cadence, the guys gruffed and barked in a sort of melodic harmony. It was cool. On a side note, the guys had a small cluster of groupies that arranged themselves strategically around the stage, dancing to their low-self esteem’s delight.

But I on the other hand became quite annoyed, and by midway through their line up, I desperately wanted the show to move along quicker.

The Widow’s are just another punk band. Not much else I can say.