The mighty Black God returns this week for a rare Derby-week performance with the legendary J Robbins of Jawbox/Burning Airlines. The band made some of the most compelling hardcore punk in town for the last six years. The project serves as an extension of Black Widows, a band started by singer Rob Pennington and Ryan Patterson in 2001. Despite a few lineup and name changes, the fundamental musical core of the band remains intact, as an exploration of post-hardcore and punk tropes.
A veteran of bands like Endpoint and By The Grace of God, Pennington works hard to kick ass, both in terms of putting on a great show and representing his bandmates.
I guess the frontman/band thing is a type of relationship, he said. When it is healthy, people have their freedom, but are generally rowing in the same direction. When I was young, anxiety related to my image was inflated. I let what other people thought influence some of my decisions around music. Now, I just want to deliver what the songs mean to me the best way I know how. In general, I have been very fortunate to play with folks with whom there is a lot of trust.
The last few years have been quiet, but productive, as the band has finished recording and mixing for IV, their next release.
The show is packed with talented folks but I am especially excited to play with J Robbins, Pennington says. Not only has his contribution to punk music been expansive, he is a fantastic human.
Pennington continued, adding, Louisville has always had a strong connection to the DC punk scene. I think the artists in those bands spoke deeply to many of us and permitted us to wear our hearts or demons upon our sleeves. Robbins work is idyllic of that passionate force that helped spark creativity and those around him.
You can catch them on Thursday, May 5 alongside the Ritchie White Orchestra, Skull Practitioners, Shellshag, and the aforementioned Robbins at the New Vintage.
This article appears in May 4, 2016.