In mid August of 2014, Drive Like Jehu quietly announced a free show at Balboa Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion in San Diego, to be held two weeks later, the day before the US Labor Day holiday. The response was anything but quiet. Thousands filled the park, including many people who dropped everything on a moment’s notice to fly across country for what was billed as a one-time only event.
Offers apparently persuaded the band to continue on, and in April, 2015, a pair of appearances at Coachella were accompanied by sold-out shows at the world famous Casbah and a few other select west coast venues. Additional festival invitations followed, and now Drive Like Jehu is curating and appearing at All Tomorrow’s Parties in April, in Prestatyn, North Wales.
I have been lucky enough to be at all of their hometown appearances since reuniting, including the kickoff to their spring shows leading up to ATP, at the Irenic, a venue that serves as a church on Sundays. They’re as exciting and dynamic as ever, and on this occasion were joined by openers Cruz Radical, another local San Diego band that specializes in punk music sung entirely in Spanish.
