Paint it Black Live @ The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA [11-24-24]

How long has it been since I’ve seen Paint it Black? I feel like when I lived in Harrisburg, I saw them all the time. Is it because they used to be more active? Maybe being so Philly-adjacent facilitated the whole thing? I haven’t stopped listening to Paint it Black and my love for them is strong. If only there were a way for me to express it. Maybe the best way to do that is bringing them to town with the great Dillinger Four?

This has got to be the show of the year for any punk on the east coast. I still can’t believe it happened, to be honest. Dillinger Four were great, even though they’re a legacy band at this point (No album in 16 years qualifies! You heard me!), and the opener Public Acid was impressive and Discharge-esque enough to merit an inquisition.

But we’re here to talk about Paint it Black. New activity from this band is always good news. They released an excellent EP last year called Famine and if it wasn’t so short, it would have landed as a top 5 album of the year. They’ve been doing it for so long and can still write songs just as powerful as they always have. And their lives shows? Still mind-blowing, it turns out. Paint it Black is one of those hardcore bands that excel at almost every aspect of their music: whether it’s the musicianship or lyrical content. That music ain’t easy to make.

Paint it Black cast a towering presence in their live shows. It’s a dynamic event whether it involves the band itself, singer Dan Yemin barking at the audience and coercing their participation, bassist Andy Nelson’s stage dominance (hey, his bass actually works!), or drummer Jared Shavelson’s tight and meticulous playing (he had to fill Dave Wagenshutz’s shoes!). The setlist consisted of songs from their entire catalog, like CVA, Atticus Finch, Election Day, Pink Slip, Exploitation Period and Famine. It’s funny how a band who plays such serious music can be so lighthearted on stage (“one of every 3 people in Boston is a cop?” “Free Palestine yes, we agree, it’s important!).

We need a full-blown Paint it Black tour, but we should also be happy with what we get. I’m only saying this because both in the studio and live, this band is still on the top of their game. They once said they’d never release a fourth album, so 7”s and Eps it’ll have to be. I’ll gladly take it as long as they continue to bring that energy on stage.

This band ain’t from Fishtown.

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