Once again Bad Religion made their way to Cleveland to put on a show for punk rock fans young and old. The So-Cal punk rock act had released New Maps Of Hell over the summer. Joining them were England's hardcore sensation Gallows and Los Angeles punk act The Briggs. This was a show many looked forward to, as many did not get enough of Bad Religion and Gallows at this year's Warped Tour.

Sometimes my nights do not quite work out the way I would like them to. Maybe it was the rainy weather on that miserable October evening, or just bum luck, but by the time I showed up at the historic Agora the show was two thirds over. Gallows had opened the night, to my surprise, and when I finally got inside, The Briggs were finishing up. This really was not how I wanted the evening to go. I really wanted to see Gallows live again this year after being blown away by them earlier this summer. I guess I will have to wait until next time.

Greg Graffin, Brian Baker, Jay Bentley, and Brooks Wakerman took the stage. For a band that has been around for twenty years, Bad Religion showed no sign of slowing down. The foursome cranked out hits such as "Fuck Armageddon" and "Sorrow" without trouble. It was awesome to see them play these songs so well that I have seen live a dozen times.

"New Dark Ages" was played off the newest release New Maps Of Hell. I myself prefer the older tracks and I was thrilled when I heard "Infected" from Stranger Than Fiction played the same evening as "Super Sonic" off The Process Of Belief. The band also cranked out "21st Century (Digital Boy)", "Atomic Garden", and even "The Defense".

Greg Graffin joked with the crowd between songs. It was nice to see a band still do the crowd interaction that truly makes a show memorable. The band may be showing signs of age over the years, with wrinkles and gray hairs, but musically it seemed as if they had not missed a beat. They were all smiles and it was really a pleasure to attend the show.

Talking about the Cleveland Indians, who were on their way to the World Series, Greg Graffin said, "We heard some good news about this town. Apparently the Indians are doing very well. That is great, you know, we don't follow football very much." The crowd laughed, except for one jolly fan who heckled the band all night. I never understood why someone would pay money to see a show and then heckle the band all night long. The heckling got some attention but was soon brushed off as someone threw a bra on stage. The bra was stretched about the cymbals of the drum set. The makeshift bra-slingshot was enjoyed by all. I guess you had to be there.

I admit I was surprised at the low attendance. I remember seeing Bad Religion at the Agora almost ten years ago and it was just about sold out. This time not even half the venue was full. Who cares, though? I was one of many who got to take in a great show. Every song became an all-out crowd sing-along, with Bad Religion front and center and me to the side singing my heart out.

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