SITUATIONAL ANARCHY by Graham Isador. Drake Underground. Aug 12 at 4:30 pm, Aug 13 at 8:30 pm. See listing. Rating: NNNN
Music journalist and performer Graham Isador’s strong autobiographical solo show about growing up punk in Southern Ontario in the 90s is more than just a band-fan memoir from the early internet age.
Isador chronicles his conversion to American anarchist punk band Against Me! (and his subsequent dismay at their perceived selling out) in a series of rich, well-crafted and emotionally-potent stories that paint a picture of a young person struggling to craft an authentic identity for himself through visits to hospitals, mall record stores, internet chat rooms and violent mosh pits.
Isador’s presentation style is immediately engaging and his stories balance funny tongue-in-cheek self-deprecation and nerdy punk rock sidebars with profound insights gleaned from the tumult of his teen years.
You don’t have to know anything about punk to get a lot out of his storytelling.
