The newly assembled version of rock band Black Flag — which is now made up almost entirely of Generation Z musicians — took to the stage for their first performance in Sofia, Bulgaria this week. The remaining original member is guitarist Greg Ginn, who is also the founder of the band and holder of the group’s trademark according to Stereogum.
Earlier this year, Ginn introduced a brand-new Black Flag lineup, teasing new music and sharing a promotional image of the new band. At 71, Ginn is now accompanied by bandmates who weren’t even alive when the original lineup disbanded.
The group played their first live set at Mixtape 5, a venue in Bulgaria’s capital. The performance was the launch of their current European tour. This latest version of Black Flag follows numerous attempts by Ginn to revive the band since its original lineup in the mid-1980s.
Ginn first resurrected Black Flag in 2013, which led to internal disputes, a legal battle with a rival revival group and the abrupt onstage firing of a vocalist. Further controversy surrounded Ginn when his ex-wife accused him of child abuse.
Their debut set lasted approximately 80 minutes and featured many fan favorites. While some fans noted a bit of lack of energy from the crowd, others appreciated the performancenew members brought. The audience however did show enthusiasm, particularly when the opening chords of “Nervous Breakdown” rang out.
Though some fans remain on opposite sides of Ginn’s repeated reinventions of the band, his commitment and talent on the guitar hopefully can be enough to keep this lineup together.
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