Today marks 17 years to the day that rock juggernaut MxPx performed its first show in the backyard of Mike Herrera’s former Bremerton, Wash. home.
In that very suburban spot, the band created a recording studio out of the free-standing garage. The Clubhouse, which has since become a memorable and historic location for the group, will be host to a live greatest-hits performance this Wednesday.
“I’ve spent over half my life in MxPx. Let that blow your mind a little!” drummer Yuri Ruley exclaimed.
With bands sprouting up left and right, longevity is an attribute found in few and far between within today’s society.
“Sometimes it feels like an endurance test – how long will we last?” frontman Mike Herrera asked.
Herrera recalls a memorable Warped Tour performance in 2000 as evidence of such endurance. The band played right through a huge rainstorm with a hardly a single fan leaving to seek shelter during the set.
Guitarist Tom Wisniewski cherishes the opportunity MxPx had to open for Joe Strummer in 1999, while Ruley recalls the band’s first show in Brazil as his favorite.
“I had what I can only describe as an ‘out of body’ experience,” Ruley said. “I was sort of floating above myself, playing, yet also observing.”
As to the future, talks of playing a concert in Africa or Iraq are on the table. The band recently visited China and Israel for the first time. A new cover album, On The Cover II, is available now through Tooth & Nail Records, with more music set to be released this year.
Returning to The Clubhouse for this anniversary show, as the band states, is a huge honor in itself. This was where the band’s early works, Renaissance EP and Panic, were developed and recorded. The band is also paying homage to Bremerton, Wash., where the trio has already earned a key to the city.
Wednesday’s historic concert will be broadcast online by Stickam and will feature an open Q&A throughout the set. The set begins at www.stickam.com/mxpx Wednesday, July 8 at 9 p.m. EST. The band has also teamed up with pickRset so that fans can vote for the songs they want to hear played.
