Thursday, May 1, 2008

NOFX Backstage Passport on Fuse TV

I've gotten addicted to the new reality show "NOFX: Backstage Passport" on Fuse TV in which NOFX documented their world-tour of out of the way places from Peru to Korea. The week's episode featured a concert in mainland China that was apparently the first show there by a U.S. punk band. Much of what I've seen so far portrays wacky band antics and (more interesting to me) the travails of booking a tour in places that don't typically hold shows. On the series, the band is shown dealing with questionable promoters and sometimes unsecured/unlicensed venues, often with very dramatic results (especially in the fantastic second episode).

NOFX is still independent after 25 years and from what we see on TV it appears that their manager was the primary liaison with bookers and promoters, making for a tour that they were all very personally invested in. It's a great glimpse into punk rock, DIY and how American bands are greeted in far-away places.

Here's Fuse's blurb about NOFX:

"A staple on the Warped Tour, they somehow straddle the mainstream and the underground more successfully than almost any other band by releasing records on their own label and by snubbing mainstream radio and MTV. They manage to keep their fan base at a comfortable size, pay the rent, and still retain a serious amount of punk credibility."

If you've seen the show, what do you think? Are there other great indie-music themed TV shows worth tuning in for?

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