Bree!

There's something about Mike Herrera that makes him my ideal punk rock boyfriend. The tatts, the piercings, a punk rock band that's outlasted nearly every next-big-thing in the scene… and the cheeseball songs. Move To Bremerton? Yes. Do Your Feet Hurt? I'll never get tired of it. I even swoon a little over Call In Sick out of MxPx's less-loved 2005 album, Panic. Plus there's something admirable about a punk rock boy who doesn't abandon his roots (he still lives in Bremerton, unless that's a myth). He's not the kinda guy you'd catch snorting coke off some random indie It girl, know what I mean?

Anyway, the point is-and I don't see any way around sounding slightly creepy about this, so be it-when your ideal punk rock boyfriend starts another musical project, you support it. Even if it is sort of… country.

Hey, come back.

Here's the thing-rockabilly country punk stuff really doesn't get me through the day. But bless your pompadours and cherry tattoos; I sure do love it live.

It's just FUN.

So even though this Tumbledown show was vastly different from an MxPx show, it was a good time. This band radiates good energy.

I can't tell you the set list because I don't know the songs, but they were all off of their recently released self-titled disc. They also played a cover of “We're An American Band” by Grand Funk Railroad (yeah, I had to google that), a Willie Nelson song and an MxPx song-during which Mike let a fan (who had bought him two drinks) up on stage to sing along. And the guy was good. It was pretty spectacular for an ad-lib performance.

I left the show in a great mood. I'll definitely be there next time they come through L.A. again.

In conclusion, if you're looking for some feel-good rockabilly tunes with good harmonies led by a familiar voice, give them a shot. I think you'll have a grand 'ol time.