Before a screening of Pulp Fiction at the Hollywood Forever cemetery in Los Angeles, Rancid's Tim Armstrong led a solid Ramones tribute band through a half hour of classics, culminating in a finale of tunes with Billy Idol leading the way.
Billed as The Cretin Commandos, Armstrong and the crew, which included CJ Ramone on a few tunes, blasted through 14 Ramones or Ramones-adjacent covers in a blistering 29 minutes.
As the founders intended.
The occasion was the annual Johnny Ramone Tribute, presented by his widow Linda Ramone, to benefit the Johnny Ramone cancer research fund. The legendary guitarist and co-founder of the Ramones died in 2004 at just 55 years old after battling prostate cancer for five years.
Over the years celebs and rockers have gathered in the cemetery where his cenotaph commands awe, and celebrates the music and legacy of the New York punk heroes.
To start the show, the band kicked into "Teenage Lobotomy" followed by "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment," and then "Glad to See You Go," three songs from the two albums they released in 1977: Rocket to Russia and Leave Home.
Not only was the band tight, but Armstrong's voice was just meant for this. With his scruffy beard, weathered lefty guitar, and motor cycle gang getup, the Rancid frontman looked like a Hells Angel poised to make a quick getaway if need be.
CJ Ramone, who replaced original bassist Dee Dee in 1989, covered the Motorhead love letter, "R.A.M.O.N.E.S."
CJ assumed all of Lemmy's duties by singing and playing bass on the song that was the highlight of Motorhead's 1991 album, 1916.
Other perfect covers included "Miserlou," the Dick Dale instrumental, Quentin Tarantino included on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack (in October the film celebrates its 30th anniversary).
Actor John Travolta was in attendance at the cemetery that sits right behind Paramount Studios. The studio released two of his first huge films: Saturday Night Fever (1976) and Grease (1977).
As the sun was beginning to set the band also covered The Trashmen's "Surfin Bird." a tune The Ramones played more than anyone at a whopping 541 times.
Not that the party needed any more fuel, but Billy Idol came out for a trio of quickies: "Beat on the Brat," "Blitzkrieg Bop," and the romantic Bobby Freeman cover "Do You Wanna Dance."
With Shepard Fairey working the wheels of steel in the DJ box, celebs, punkers, and the souls of the departed lingering around the grounds, it was an event one would think Johnny would have loved.
And despite being a cornerstone of New York punk history, it is fascinating that this celebration happens on the other coast each year, near his fantastic monument.
Tim Armstrong and Rancid will be hitting the road soon opening for Green Day for a few months this summer. Get your tickets on the Rancid website.
Billy Idol is touring Canada at the best time of the year: August. Technically his 13-date Canadian Tour begins July 30 in Vancouver and then he'll make his way east. Get tickets on his website.
