@AndyShore Remember the Flobots? They had as big a year as anybody in 2008 with their massive political hit “Handlebars.” Though it’s been almost a year since their last tour, the Flobots are back on the road. This time, they’ve brought our good friends Kinetix on the road with them. That’s why I had @MattSilver pick me up from the airport in LA on Saturday and we headed straight down to San Diego, despite already sitting on the plane for almost five hours.

Long day of travel aside, I was actually excited to see the Flobots after getting to watch their sound check. They worked out a few of the new tunes, which sounded better than anything I had previously heard from the band. Seeing the Flobots live gives you a new appreciation for the band. Their dynamic on stage is unmatched by most. They have two MCs who can command the stage and engage the crowd. Mackenzie Roberts gets cheers every time she steps in the spotlight for a solo, and it isn’t only because she’s attractive. She wails on that viola.

For an all ages show, it is difficult for a band to draw a reaction to songs the crowd is unfamiliar with. The Flobots managed a positive reaction from several of their new tunes. “By The Time You Get This Message…” and “Good Soldier” had obvious messages and were well introduced by the band. “Cracks in the Pavement” is an all out rocker that will undoubtedly be a big hit when the album drops this Spring.

Then it was time to bring Eric Blumenfeld of Kinetix to the stage. The crowd began to cheer “Eric! Eric!,” but he was nowhere to be found. The band went into a different song, as all members of team Kinetix scrambled to find Eric. Eric was reintroduced by Jonny 5 and got some good natured ribbing by Roberts, who claimed he was late for class. He saved face by saying he was at the Climate Change booth signing their petition. Eric sang the hook on “Infatuation,” looking at home on the stage with the Flobots and garnering huge cheers from the crowd. “Handlebars” wound things down for the night, and gave the young crowd the song they had all come to see.