Brooklyn City Rockers

Twenty-five years ago Bruce Springsteen was king of classic rock. Now, there seems to be a whole generation of young punk bands that claim The Boss as their own. And in hindsight, they just might be right. Brooklyn’s The So So Glos share Springsteen’s meat ‘n’ potatoes sound while remaining steeped in punk rock’s golden age. Vocalist Alex Levine sounds an awful lot like Joe Strummer. “Son of an American,” from the band’s 2013 release Blowout, is a working-class anthem recalling The Clash’s “White Riot.”

The blue-collar, this-town-sucks sentiment carries through “Diss Town” — complete with a killer shout-along chorus reminiscent of fellow proletariat punkers and Springsteen acolytes, Titus Andronicus. The track “Blowout” references ska-punk bands like Operation Ivy and classic 2-Tone ska bands like The Specials. “Everything Revival” satirizes the neo-soul, ’60s girl group trend, as well as The So So Glos’ own punk pastiche, with a Phil Spector-esque intro that’s also just a little bit Springsteen circa “Born To Run.”

As a band, The So So Glos convincingly play the part of dockworkers turned band mates: torn skinny jeans, scowls and greasy bed head. Musically, these guys are tight and reckless in all the right places: loud, brash and (like the best punk rock should be) relentlessly tuneful.

The So So Glos play with Diarrhea Planet and Eugene’s Best Friends 8:30 pm Sunday, Sept. 15, at Tiny Tavern; $5.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!