Getting Violent

Back in 1983, 20-year-old Violent Femmesguitarist-vocalist Gordon Gano revealed that he stained his sheets. With his nasal, quivering voice — made famous on the single "Blister in the Sun" — Gano whined lyrics that were self-depreciating, smug, repugnant, religious, sexy and dark. (Just the recipe for awkward adolescents.) Fans fell in love with the Milwaukee-based trio, their eponymous debut album went platinum, and the Femmes were suddenly one of the most groundbreaking groups of the '80s.

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More About

• Victor De Lorenzo
• Brian Ritchie
• Milwaukee
• Violent Femmes
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

The affable Gano and his band, filled out by bassist Brian Ritchie and percussionist Victor De Lorenzo, stop by Numbers today. Though they've matured (in age) since forming 25 years ago, the pop-folk-punk Femmes have shown no signs of slowing down. When the band busts out its memorable bare-bones acoustic romps and cult hits (which were recently compiled on Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes), it's gonna be one big sing-along. The kiss-off begins after Zykos takes the stage.
Wed., May 17, 8 p.m.