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ALLENTOWN, Pa. \u2014 The inherent limitation of punk rock music since its late 1970s founding was that it never got to grow up.<\/p>\n
Founded by young, DIY bands who played energetic, stripped-down music that rejected the overproduced corporate sound of the time, punk seemed forever trapped in the simplicity of immaturity.<\/p>\n
Seminal acts such as The Ramones never progressed, or burned out quickly \u2014 The Sex Pistols after just four years, and even the more sophisticated The Clash lasted just 10.<\/p>\n
Fifty years after punk’s founding, Scranton-born, Philadelphia-based punk band The Menzingers seem to be changing that.<\/p>\n
\n\nThe Menzingers will headline a show at Allentown’s Archer Music Hall at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Archer Music Hall website<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The group’s recent albums \u2014 2019’s “Hello Exile” and 2023’s “Some of It Was True” \u2014 have given a glimpse of what punk could become if it matured.<\/p>\n
And the group is ready to release an eighth album that will take that even further, The Menzingers singer\/guitarist Tom May said in a recent phone call from his South Philadelphia home.<\/p>\n
Before that record comes out, The Menzingers will headline a show at Allentown’s Archer Music Hall at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24. Doors open at 5.<\/p>\n
Due to the impending snowstorm, the time was changed from 6:30. The performance is scheduled to end by 10:05 p.m.<\/p>\n
Fewer than 100 tickets, at $48.05 for general admission standing, remain available at the Archer website<\/a>or the venue box office at 939 Hamilton St., Allentown. Elevated seating is nearly sold out.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome artists talk about reinventing themselves,” May said. “We didn\u2019t reinvent ourselves and we didn\u2019t reach back into the past and try to recreate something we\u2019ve already done.<\/p>\n
\u201c[But] we have been practicing and learning more instruments, so there\u2019s a lot more instrumental depth to the record.<\/p>\n
\u201cMusically, I think it\u2019s a very good representation of where you would think our career would be going as a fan of the band. We\u2019re really, really excited to share.\u201d<\/p>\n
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