In the pantheon of american punk rock history, several names loom large. Social Distortion, the Dead Kennedy's, Minor Threat and the Ramones were all responsible for imprinting their DNA on the movement, setting a spark and forever changing the course of rock'n'roll. However, perhaps no act delivered that spirit with more ferocity and conviction than Black Flag. The brainchild of guitarist Greg Ginn, Black Flag was a beast; a pure, hypercharged, HONEST, machine. Throughout all of the lineups, including several noteworthy singers, Black Flag retained their sharp edge, whether they were diving headfirst into primal punk (the early years), or slowed down sludgy stoner riffs (the later years). Come the end of the eighties, it was time to put the beast to bed, leaving us thirty-something's desperately wishing we got to see the group that changed so many of our lives.

Fast forward to 2013. Two versions of the group have hit the road (Greg Ginn with Ron Reyes as Black Flag, and FLAG with Keith Morris, Dez Cadena and Chuck Dukowski) and one of them, FLAG, is playing Buffalo tonight. For many of us, this is a dream come true. Reviews of the shows have been overwhelmingly positive and based on the footage I've seen, absolutely bonkers. As a longtime fan and believer in the palpable energy FLAG creates, this is one show you'd be crazy to miss. Town Ballroom's the place. $32 is the price. The show has a few local openers including Area Denial, Johnny Revolting, Old Ghosts and White Whale. About to have a nervous breakdown...