For many of us who live east of La Brea, Liquid Kitty is the Westside bar. On Sunday, they held their sixth annual Punk Rock BBQ. Swarms of old-school punks spilled from the super-packed watering hole and out onto Pico, where grills, crammed with hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausage sent smoke wafting high in the hot summer air. Inside, $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon and free music kept the crowd bopping and fist-pumping, and screaming for more.

The show began at the ungodly hour of 1:30 in the afternoon, when most rational people would be nursing their hangovers. Luckily, the show is inside a bar – and some times the best way to detox is to re-tox.

The entire show rattles the soul. Mike Watt is the man of the day. He turns in a headlining set with his own Missingmen, and jumps on stage during earlier sets by The Chairs of Perception and The Raw Power Rangers. The Chairs of Perception evoke Wire and Mission of Burma during their blistering 45 minute set of minimalist pop-art-punk. Led by Jack Brewer, Saccharine Trust’s frenetic punk-jazz feels as fresh and as vital as it did back in 1981. The Raw Power Rangers deliver a note-perfect rendition of the Stooges “Raw Power”, bolstered by Insect Surfer Dave Arnson’s surreal and mesmerizing Iggy imitation.

It is disconcerting to see a great rock show, then walk outside into the blinding sunlight. When the Punk Rock BBQ ends, much of the crowd stays behind to drink and watch Carlos Guitarlos. Unfortunately for some of us, the main drawback of going to a great Sunday show, is that it is inevitably followed by a Monday morning.

The Cairs of Perception photo by Heath Biter