Union 13 has always been a pure-hearted East L.A. hardcore punk band. Somehow, a copy of their second album, “Why Are We Destroying Ourselves,” ended up in my high school hands in small-town North Carolina – of all places – and a lifelong love was born. With a strong cult following and determination of steel, Union 13 is one of those bands who lasted (the average punk band’s lifespan is about three years). They started playing backyard parties in East L.A. when the owner of Epitaph showed up one day and asked them to record a demo. Tim Armstrong and Lars Frederiksen liked the demo enough to produce it and bam! – they’re signed.

They’ve toured since forever with The Bouncing Souls, US Bombs, H2O, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Subhumans, Dead Kennedys, Pennywise, NOFX, and my own punk band back in the day! It is indeed the best feeling in a musician’s life to share the stage with a band that they’ve loved since their days of teenage rebellion. And Union 13 puts on a great show – they’re veterans to the punk stage and they’ve got the energy of a napalm bomb. They shred through their set, and weave Mexican and Central American musical influences into their crashing drums and screeching guitars. They’ve been working on their fifth album in 2009, and they’re celebrating on April 3 at The Blvd Café (2631 Whittier Blvd). Don’t be embarrassed to relive your old punk days – Union 13 will have you moshing in no time!