The Hangmen

When L.A.’s Hangmen appeared in 1989 with a Capitol Records debut, their Stones-meets-Gun Club noise got lost in the gap between jangly college rockers and the hair-metal hordes. Fortunately, singer/songwriter Bryan Small persevered over the decades, honing his songwriting to an ultra-sharp point alongside the like-minded souls (including longtime label Acetate Records) that bring it to life. Indeed, the band’s latest, 2023’s exceptional Stories to Tell, may well be their best. The Hangmen rarely venture beyond the West Coast, so this gig is a rare treat. Austin’s rising-star glam-punks the Oxys and veteran power punks the Meanhearts open. – Michael Toland