Authority Zero - in line at the Roxy

Watching the line grow and serpentine down the length of Sunset Blvd, one is forewarned that this is going to be an intensely chaotic and high-energy event. The four members of the band, a familiar and veteran icon of the punk music scene, come and go throughout the crowd – their identities hidden under beanies and sweatshirts. Weaving expertly in and out of groups of fans, Jason finds me by the side entrance to the Roxy, where I am awaiting the other band members – whoever can be pulled away from their offstage duties. We exchange pleasantries and my accompanying photographer snaps some shots. I’m told to sit tight and enjoy the show until after the set and people filter out of the venue’s doors. A task I can execute with ease – watching Authority Zero, no matter the circumstance or venue, is always a treat.

Authority Zero: comprised of Jason Devore belting out vocals, Zach Vogel strumming riffs on guitar, Jim Wilcox pounding at the drums, and D.J. Dean Farmer holding up the low-end of the equation on bass, takes the stage accompanied by a mixture of howling and clapping by the sold out crowd at the Roxy in the music-drenched city of Hollywood, California. Hailing from the sun-scorched landscapes of Arizona, the band tried on a different kind of light: the searing, searching spotlights of the stage. If the alcohol splashing out of the beer-gutted and balding man’s cup next to me or the bouncing ponytail of the clean-cut dressed female in front of me are any indication, Authority Zero doesn’t fit the pigeon-holed, strictly punk in appearance, stereotyped audience anymore. That’s quite the accomplishment: to be able to bridge a gap between genres and connect those to whom your music appeals.

The band has gone through some lineup changes, but amazingly “has managed to stay friends” says Wilcox as we sit in the green room at the Roxy. Aside from a manager and the occasional band traffic, Wilcox, Devore, my photographer, and I are the only ones taking up the space. We talk about the trials and tribulations of being in a long-lived band and the rewards of surviving that struggle. “We’ve been around long enough to see it all come back around,” says Devore of the music trends that resurface. And if you watch album sales, one can quickly see genres reliving their popularity of the past. Authority Zero is seeing people, old and new fans, once again becoming enamored with their particular brand of punk that is fueled by bold reggae undertones. Keep at it long enough and it all becomes worthwhile.

With three studio albums under their belts, the band continually keeps fans interested. A fourth in the works - currently with no release date and no working title in place - there will be yet another track listing of songs to whet the palates of music gormandizers whose taste and preference lean more towards the creative offerings of Authority Zero. But can you blame them? Devore’s melodic vocals stand out and stand true on any airwave with their crisp range and impeccable pitch – even live the vocals don’t stray far from what the studio produces.

Watching the audience get what they wanted out of their tickets: an electrifying show that possessed the power of the songs spinning on the recorded CD, proved, yet again, that Authority Zero won’t be going anywhere (but up) anytime soon. Authority Zero will always have “One More Minute” with the droves of fans that follow the progress of the band and that make it possible.