Violent Femmes
Legendary Milwaukee folk-punk rockers the Violent Femmes continue to tour in support of last year’s 2 Mics & the Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged in America, a collection of on-location live recordings from their 2016 media tour of radio stations and podcasts promoting their first full studio album in 16 years. Founding duo Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie will bring the current version of the trio, which has included drummer/singer John Sparrow for around two years now, to Humphreys by the Bay on June 25.
That the band is even still extant is remarkable when one considers that it’s only been around a decade since Gano and Ritchie were at each other’s throats and suing one another, mainly stemming from a dispute over their most well-known song, “Blister in the Sun,” being used in a Wendy’s burger commercial. They didn’t bury the hatchet until reuniting for Coachella in 2013, which led to other festival appearances, and then the new studio recordings, subsequent live follow-up album, worldwide road trips, and now another tour bringing them back to San Diego for the fifth time in three years. The bill includes Blaise Garza and John Sparrow.