Death played ONCE – 4/18

Detroit proto-punks Death headlined Somerville’s ONCE Ballroom with locals Minibeast and Duck & Cover. 

Upon the 10-year anniversary of …For the Whole World to See – the Drag City compilation that launched them from the well-kept secret of punk record collectors to properly-recognized genre founding fathers – Death’s “Final Curtain” tour brought them to a rare Boston-area appearance last month.

With founding members Bobby and Dannis Hackney joined by longtime associate Bobbie Duncan – standing in for late guitarist David Hackney – Death sounded as fast and furious as one would hope at a packed ONCE. The trio stayed true to the punk rock ethos, blasting through a short set that piled on their rediscovered classics and wasted precious little time on frills and accoutrements. Both Duncan and the brothers Hackney are clearly still having a blast playing these songs, and an enthusiastic crowd was more than happy to mosh in kind. Hard to imagine leaving this one disappointed.

Rounding out the night, Duck & Cover delivered a satisfying slice of garage-y hard rock before Minibeast, the bombastically prog-y, experimental post-punk project of Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott, threatened to steal the show – as they often do.

Check out photos of all three sets below.