For a large segment of music fans, it’s hard to verbalize the importance of Violent Femmes’ debut album. Whether the first listen or the 40th, you can pretty easily find yourself shaking your head at the different-ness of it all. And with the LP reaching the ripe old age of 40 this past April, it’s pretty cool that the band is still finding ways to make it sound new.
Their newest effort, tied to that prodigious anniversary, is a date with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra to play the album in full on Oct. 3 at the Bradley Symphony Center.
Violent Femmes recently wrapped up a run of 11 anniversary shows west of the Mississippi, including a symphony-accompanied performance in San Diego. This fall leg will up the ante with 16 dates that start with their hometown performance before continuing the following night, Oct. 4, at the Sylvee in Madison.
If you’re reading this and somehow haven’t listened to the 1983 album, please use the player below to fix that (at least as much as Bandcamp’s limits will allow). It is an acoustic-punk chef’s kiss of a collection with tracks that have only amplified their influence and earworminess in the four decades since its release. “Gone Daddy Gone,” “Kiss Off,” “Add It Up,” “Blister in the Sun” — there just wasn’t a ton of stuff like it at the time and even less that found solid footing with a wider audience.
To hear those songs and all the rest from Violent Femmes’ debut album performed with some serious skilled backup musicians, pick up tickets when they go on sale to the general public this Friday, June 9, on the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra website and in person at the box office.
