Suicide Commandos

Should we call this a full-fledged reunion phase for Minneapolis' ur-punk legends? Maybe, since they've had a remarkably active 2009: playing a benefit at Nick & Eddie for the Bush Tetras' Laura Kennedy back in January, another set at the 501 in August that capped a night of side-project debuts (Steve Almaas & Friends and the Chris Osgood/Dave Ahl-helmed Warblers), and now a busy Saturday as they follow up their family-friendly gigs at the Walker with this unusual late-night show at the Dakota. And it's not just the high-class, fine-dining venue that's unusual, as the loud-and-fast band that many rock fans consider the Midwest's equivalent of the Ramones are actually going to be playing an unplugged set. Good thing they've always had great pop songwriting chops driving their odes to restlessness – while it might be kind of funny to imagine a snotty classic like "Mosquito Crucifixion" in an acoustic context, their catalog -- particularly the likes of "Complicated Fun" and "Burn It Down" -- earn much of their power from a hookiness that doesn't necessarily require amplification to knock you over.
Sat., Nov. 7, 11 p.m., 2009