So the City Pages "Best Rock Band" of 2003 and 2005 is now the "best ex-band" of 2006—a boring choice, maybe, but the right one. Unlike others who broke up in '05 (the Jayhawks, Martyr A.D., Tulip Sweet and Her Trail of Tears), the Midnight Evils went out loud. They were, to the end, a near-perfect distillation of the hopped-up rock 'n' roll promised by the opening chords of the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen." But instead of a sneer, they offered shout-along bar punk over gonzo-Chuck Berry riffs—so fast and giddy, they made the Stooges sound funereal. Not that the Evils were great singers without departed vocalist Jonny Evans, but they didn't need to be: Even their drum fills were exciting. Spectators walked out of the band's September farewell in the 7th St. Entry with bloody faces and pieces of smashed-up bass in their hands, but if you want a more lasting souvenir, pick up 2005's Breakin' It Down (Estrus) or the self-titled 2001 debut (Dart Records).