Dead Moon, at Berserktown II

This past weekend brought an insane bevy of bands through Los Angeles and Orange County for Echo Park Rising, the sprawling three-day neighborhood fest in Echo Park, and Berserktown II, the three-day fest at the Observatory in Santa Ana. Two three-day festivals in one weekend. That’s like 500 bands. In one weekend. Okay, I’m too lazy to do the actual math on this so that might be an exaggeration, but out of those 500 bands, there was only one that I needed to see: Dead Moon.

Dead Moon, the uncompromising Portland punk legends who’ve gained fame despite, and maybe because of, their DIY proclivities, are nearing what could be the end of their tenure. When Dead Moon announced earlier this year that they were playing Berserktown II, fans widely assumed it could be their last tour ever, and definitely the last show they’d trek down to Southern California to play.

So if you missed Sunday night’s Dead Moon set, you blew it. Fred Cole, frontman and guitarist for the band, had open-heart surgery last year, and he still had the swagger and talent someone half his age could only dream of. Toody Cole, Fred’s wife and badass bassist, is the coolest chick in rock ‘n roll. Kelly Halliburton, the drummer from Pierced Arrows – Dead Moon’s side band formed around 2007 – stood in for original member Andrew Loomis, who was recently diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t make the tour. Getting old fucking sucks, but Fred and Toody know how to keep on keepin’ on.

The trio, who famously perform close to each other in proximity, stood huddled at the edge of the Observatory’s main stage, their amps lined up right behind them like a wall of sound. They charged through their set list, with songs ranging from almost all of their albums. Dead Moon songs always sound more powerful and fast tempoed done live, but there was an indescribable fire in their strum and step that night. Maybe it was the energy from three days of punk and noise and metal seething out of the Observatory throughout the weekend. Or maybe it was just their incredible vibe, a vibe that’s lasted almost 30 years, a vibe unparalleled by most. Thank you Dead Moon. If I never see you again, I’ll remain satisfied by this one last show. –Maya Eslami