I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: May 10, 2025] The Dead Milkmen 

It took me 35 years to see The Dead Milkmen live.  And now I’ve seen them twice in about a year.  The last show was so much fun; I was really excited when they announced more shows at Underground Arts.  But those days were booked for me.  Bummer.  But then they announced this show at White Eagle Hall (where they have played a few times recently).

I arrived late (because parking there sucks).  I almost gave up and went home, but I found a reasonable parking spot. And the usher brought me to the ADA section which was pretty cool because I had been really far back.  But the ADA section was in the balcony and I was able to get really close to the stage.  Rodney Anonymous is such a wild and inclusive front man that he gets everyone involved in every song.  And even though he never looked up at the balcony, I felt like a participant.

Last time I was on the far side and could barely see bassist Dan Stevens or drummer Dean Clean.  This time I was on Joe Jack Talcum’s side and could see the whole stage easily.  I was also able to watch Jack’s guitar playing which is surprisingly complex.

One of the fun parts of sitting where I was that I could see all of the people slam dancing–and really making their pit large (to the dismay of other around them).  And for once I was really glad that I was upstairs away from the action.

The setlist wasn’t radically different from the previous show, but the order was very different and there were a few songs thrown in that they hadn’t played last time (I was pretty thrilled to hear The Thing That Only Eats Hippies).

The band was in great form, with Rodney Anonymous getting everyone hyped up. His voice sounds just like it did when he was a young bratty kid (maybe with more authority now).  And I loved seeing Joe Jack Talcum up close–he also sounded pretty much the same, which was pretty great.

I hadn’t gotten to see Dean Clean much last time, so it was really fun to watch him this time–as he smiled through just about every song.  And Dan Stevens made me realize how many great or interesting basslines Dead Milkmen songs have.

I love that they are keeping up their attack on right wing lunacy (Right Wing Pigeons and Grandpa’s Not a Racist (He Just Voted For One) are great examples).

But they will still happily play some of their shorter faster songs (V.F.W. gets a pit going in a second).

I loved the middle of the set with Stuart, Punk Rock Girl and Bitchin’ Camaro.  The opening to Bitchin’ had Rodney talking about a Cybertruck that had been plastered with a bumper sticker that said Felchwagon (he couldn’t take it off or the whole panel would come off with it).

Rodney had some trouble with his keyboards, and promised to sing all the keyboard parts, but it was fortunately fixed in time for Smokin’ Banana Peels (burrow owl burrow owl).

They even threw in a song from Stoney’s Extra Stout (Pig) (still nothing from Soul Rotation in either show).

Before they ended the set they played a new song (!) called When Daddy Drinks.  Dark and funny just like the best Milkmen.

The encore was a ton of fun with the really surprising (to me) Filet of Sole and then a cover that I didn’t know.  They ended the show with Watching Scotty Die.  Not a favorite song bit somehow much more enjoyable live.

Do I need to see the Dead Milkmen again after this?  Probably not.  But I would go if they showed up.

2025 White Eagle Hall	2024 Underground Arts
Tiny Town λ	Dean’s Dream Õλ
Moron §	Grandpa’s Not a Racist (He Just Voted for One) ♣
Right Wing Pigeons ♥λ	Tiny Town λ
Grandpa’s Not a Racist (He Just Voted for One) ♣	V.F.W. λ
The Thing That Only Eats Hippies §	Serrated Edge Õλ
Serrated Edge Õλ	Methodist Coloring Book φ
Methodist Coloring Book φ	I Walk the Thinnest Line Þ
Anthropology Days ♦	Now I Wanna Hold Your Dog ♦
V.F.W. λ	Brat in the Frat Þ
Stuart Þ	Meaningless Upbeat Happy Song ∇
Dean’s Dream Õλ	If You Love Somebody, Set Them on Fire φ
Punk Rock Girl Þ	Gorilla Girl λ
Bitchin’ Camaro λ	Punk Rock Girl Þ
Tacoland ‰	Bitchin’ Camaro λ
Smokin’ Banana Peels Þ	Stuart Þ
If You Love Somebody, Set Them on Fire φ	Nutrition Õλ
Peter Bazooka ∑	The King of Sick ♣
Nutrition Õλ	Tacoland ‰
Beach Party Vietnam §	Only the Dead Get Off at Kymlinge ⊕
Philidalphia Femdom ♣	Beach Party Vietnam §
Depression Day Dinner ∏√	Right Wing Pigeons ♥λ
Big Lizard λ	Life Is Shit (no ending) Þ
Life Is Shit (no ending) Þ	Bloodstains [Agent Orange cover]
When Daddy Drinks §	encore
encore	Life Is Shit (conclusion) Þ
Life Is Shit (conclusion) Þ	Big Time Operator ‰
Filet of Sole ♥λ	Smokin’ Banana Peels Þ
Big Time Operator‰	Philidalphia Femdom ♣
Janitor (Suburban Lawns cover)	Moron §
Watching Scotty Die ‰	Big Lizard λ
	Stupid Mary Anne ∞