Urge Overkill is unlike any other touring band in the United States. Most national touring acts play a couple hundred shows a year and skip San Diego every time; Urge plays about ten shows, but one of those gigs will always be here. Since the band is based in Chicago, we should consider ourselves one lucky-arse city.

Touring in support of fresh full-length Rock and Roll Submarine (their first release since the Clinton era), the band sounded as if it had been terrorizing stages nightly for the past 20 years.

The men in Urge were on top of their game on this night, blasting through a dirty set of rock at such high volumes that even J. Mascis would have requested a pair of earplugs had he been in attendance. Per usual, Nash Kato's songs were my favorites, especially "Heaven 90210," which they dusted off for their SoCal sweep. Eddie "King" Roeser proved his worth as well, primarily through his SG and enough screaming leads to fool all those in attendance into thinking that Urge conquered the world after "Sister Havana" rocketed up the charts in the summer of ’93.

• Concert: Urge Overkill
• Date: May 14
• Venue: Casbah
• Seats: Floor