Even though a whole punk band may be limp competition for the T-man himself, you can still spend some quality time this Monday night with the band that shares his badass moniker. Just don't expect a Mr. T-style rumble. The Mr. T. Experience's style is more romance than riots, with songs that address the age-old topics of heartbreak and lovers' woes in an unexpected East Bay punk fashion.
Weird as that may seem, it sounds pretty good. This band has found a little niche in the land of pop-punk, where a little more polish or a little more screaming might force their style too far to one side or another. But for nearly fifteen years, they've been doing a good job of staying right where they are with songs that couple pop lyrics and themes with a lot of guitar and ska rhythms-a little like NSync opening a show for The Ramones.
And just for kicks, Mr. T throw in songs like "Lawnmower of Love" and "Swiss Army Girlfriend" that could put a chuckle in the heart of the hardest hardcore punk fan out there. The band's lyrics are solid and clever in their banality, which makes it easy not to take anything they say too seriously-and not to worry about that.
Despite their tough-guy connections, the Berkeley band won't be starting any shit Monday at the Cat's Cradle where they'll be promoting their new album, Miracle of Shame, which hits record shops the next day. The album promises to serve up more of that same candy-apple punk Mr. T. Experience have been slinging at fans since 1986. They might not be a bunch of 6 foot bruisers, but the fact that they've stuck around that long makes Mr. T Experience a tough band to miss.
-By Kelly McVicker
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