One of the all-time great rock books, Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life is the definitive account of the rise of ’80s indie-rock, focusing on many of the scene’s most important bands, including Black Flag, the Minutemen, Minor Threat, the Replacements, Sonic Youth, Big Black, and Fugazi. This year marks the book’s 10th anniversary, and a new generation of bands inspired by the legendary figures Azerrad wrote about are coming together for a special tribute concert May 22 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. According to Azerrad’s website, an impressive line-up of artists is going to be “playing” the bands from Our Band Could Be Your Life, including:
Nat Baldwin, David Longstreth and Brian McOmber play Black Flag
Delicate Steve plays the Minutemen
Ted Leo plays Minor Threat
Titus Andronicus plays the Replacements
Tune-Yards plays Sonic Youth
Dan Deacon plays the Butthole Surfers
St. Vincent plays Big Black
Wye Oak plays Dinosaur Jr
Buke & Gass plays Fugazi
It’s the sort of all-covers show that happens routinely around Halloween time, only this time the cover artists are mostly well known. Tickets for “Our Band Could Be Your Concert” are $25 and go on sale March 11 at noon here.