Web: badbrains.com
Players: H.R., vocals;Earl Hudson, vocals, drums; Soul Syndicate, dub set; Chuck Treece, vocals; Norwood, bass; Vernon Reid, guitar; Rocky George, guitar; Thomas Prigden, drums; Mario C, DJ
Somebody, namely event organizer Kentyah Fraser, noticed that 2026 is the year that hardcore pioneers the Bad Brains turned 50 years old. Well, kinda! Technically, the group formed in 1976 though it was initially called Mind Power. It’s not until around 1979 that the original four—guitarist Dr. Know, bassist Darryl Jenifer, and brothers Paul “H.R.” Hudson (vocals) and Earl Hudson (drums)—took on the iconic Bad Brains name.
But hey, close e-fuckin-nough, right? Fifty years of that band’s music, in any form, is cause for a proper shindig. And boy, did shins ever get dug at the Regent in L.A. on a Tuesday night in late July.
But first, a quick history lesson for those that need one. While there’s some debate about the details, the basics are clear: Bad Brains are one of if not the first black punk band, and they’re certainly the most influential. Detroit proto-punks Death have laid a claim to the “we were first” title, and they might be right. The timeline is fuzzy. But also, who gives a crap? The important thing is that the Bad Brains were there from the start, they created some of the most infamously riotous, energetic hardcore that the scene ever spat out, and their legacy stands strong next to anyone else’s, to this very day.
It makes sense, then, that the 50th anniversary of their formation would be of interest, and a group of awesome musicians, connected to the Bad Brains via friendship, influence, or both, came together at the Regent.
There were three sets, each with its own angle. First up, Earl Hudson took to the stage to sing a song of his own, before being joined by H.R., who perched himself on a stool. Earl took the drumsticks for one song, marking the first time the brothers have performed on stage together since 2017, and then H.R. essentially played an abbreviated version of his solo show.
It’s tough to imagine a Bad Brains celebration without H.R. being involved, and his presence really was enough. His dub version of classic Bad Brains track “Attitude” was the highlight.
The second set was dubbed “Soul Brains” which, oddly enough, is a name the original Bad Brains lineup went by between 1998 and 2001. This band saw veteran Jamaican reggae band Soul Syndicate joined by vocalist Chuck Treece (also a renowned skateboarder, who briefly played drums for Bad Brains in ’94). Another former Brains vocalist, Israel Joseph I, was supposed to appear at this celebration but his absence meant that most of the vocal duties were left to Treece and, to be fair, he did an admirable job.
The dub set was enjoyable, certainly very chill when compared to what would come later. It was odd, therefore, to see two fights break out during this set. It was almost as if some chaps were anticipating the impending mayhem before it got started. Musically, the Soul Syndicate guys were impeccable despite, as we told, a short amount of rehearsal time. A solid effort!
That said, the “hardcore” set was better. The band was tagged Living Fish Brains, a nod to the fact that Treece was joined by Vernon Reid from Living Colour and Norwood (a co-event organizer) from Fishbone, plus Rocky George of Suicidal Tendencies/Cro-Mags fame. With drummer Thomas Prigden rounding out the lineup, that made for a killer band.
There may have been a couple of false starts but, from start to finish, the set was a triumph. Treece once again let nobody down, while there are few better guitarists on the circuit than Reid. Similarly, Norwood is a beast of a bassist—technically dazzling and capable of laying down a groove that will shake you to your core.
Between the Soul Brains and Living Fish Brains sets, L.A. got to enjoy both sides of the Bad Brains—the two elements that made the group so special. Maybe there will be a similar celebration in 2029 when we can celebrate 50 years of the Bad Brains name—Earl Hudson hinted at as much. For now, though, this was a glorious celebration and a wonderful tribute to a special band.
