However, here we both are, standing in the House of Blues and ready to occupy opposing side of the performance dynamic once again. Fat Mike, El Hefe, Eric Melvin and Erik “Smelly” Sandin were about to tear through a set list of favorites that ran through their entire career and the audience, an even mix of rebelling teenager and nostalgic parents, was ready to sing along and go crazy together.

Spending more of their formative years playing small clubs, parties and oddball venues, NOFX got used to setting up their own gear and interacting with the audience before tearing into their set. Even though they now have a stage crew that does the work, don’t expect some dramatic entrance when their sets kick off. Normally, the four men take the stage with all the lights on so Fat Mike and El Hefe can spend a few minutes heckling the audience.

These moments add a standup comedy element to a NOFX performance. Mostly tongue-in-cheek commentary and toilet humor, the laughs come to the initiated and, to the unaware, the feeling of being offended is common. In the end, it sets the pace for the show and very few topics are left untouched, after all this is a band that summed up their racial makeup in the title of one of their albums, White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean.

The first comment of the night came from El Hefe, who noticeably had a double-take as he scanned the upper level of the House of Blues. Before I could turn to see what had brought the reaction, he started, “Hey lady! Yeah, you…everyone down here can see up your skirt!”

That led to everyone on the lower level turning to look up and, sure enough, El Hefe spoke the truth. The House of Blues employee bolted up the stairs and disappeared for a few songs before returning in jeans with the lesson that mini-skirts are not the best option when working on the second floor.

With that, the band kicked into the opening track from Wolves in Wolves Clothing, 60%. Having seen the band many times since the mid-90s, I’m constantly impressed with how solid their sound is live. Despite a steady stream of alcoholic beverages, boasts of how much they suck live (see the title of their 1993 live album) and a stated lack of concern over how well they play, everything seems to fall into place. I’ve seen Fat Mike miss some lyrics over the years, but few bands make it through a show batting 1.000 in that category.

All the classics were played like Bob, Perfect Government, Linoleum, The Shortest Line and more. Newer songs flowed forth, the band spent time between songs teaching a youngster whose parents brought him to the show all sorts of terms for weird sexual acts which the band begin with “Who brings their kid to a NOFX show?” and, as El Hefe said, “You have to grow up sometime, kid.”

It would be easy to ramble on and on about the set with big descriptive words, but at the end of the day, a band like NOFX does not last 30 years without being good at what they do, having a ton of perseverance and a ton of humility. The fans had a blast, the songs were great and they even did the full 18-minute version of their song, The Decline, in the middle of the set. It was a great night of music for everyone in the audience from the older school punker I probably stood next to at Fitzgerald’s back in the mid-90s to their kids in the audience today.

Playing before NOFX was one of my favorite bands from Fat Mike’s label, Fat Wreck Chords, Dillinger Four.

I first heard the band on their 2002 release, Situationalist Comedy and loved every note of the album, as did many other folks. The music is straight-ahead punk rock with a touch of pop sensibility delivered to the audience with a humor-tinged confrontational style. What’s not to love?

The songs usually deal with real life moments and serious topics, but end up with humorous titles like A Floater Left with Pleasure in the Executive Restroom, which has a highlight song of the set for me.

I also loved that they showed up with guitars and nothing else. They borrowed amps from NOFX and used the house kit for their set. They had a few t-shirts for sale, cash only and only during their set. It was as punk rock as you could get at the House of Blues and, since they never come to Houston, a great treat for the audience.

Until next time…