It’s Riot Fest weekend in Chicago, so nostalgia’s the name of the game. Why not ramp it up even further with a Saturday-night Pegboy gig at 1st Ward in Wicker Park? Founded in 1990 by former members of long-running local punk staples Naked Raygun and the Effigies, Pegboy edged away from the high-speed melodic hardcore of those older bands and hammered out midtempo, rough-around-the-edges workingman’s punk rock. Pegboy’s final record came out way back in 1997, and though they’ve never actually stopped being a band, shows pop up pretty infrequently—it’s usually a pretty special occasion when they do. To prime the people for tomorrow’s gig, as today’s 12 O’Clock Track I’m posting “Superstar” from Pegboy’s first LP, 1991’s Strong Reaction. The tune’s stomp, grit, and gruff vocals helped lay out a blueprint for tons of subsequent midwestern punk—you can find plenty of bands that have bitten the Pegboy sound gracing Riot Fest’s stages this weekend. Hear where it all began.
