Resting Punk Face®

Resting Punk Face voted the WINNER of OUTSTANDING PUNK BAND for 2019 by The Lehigh Valley Music Awards on Sunday March 1, 2020. - Lehigh Valley Music Awards

There’s a new punk band in town — and they are awesome!

I saw Resting Punk Face for the first time at SouthSide 313 on Saturday night, and I was rewarded with an incredible and lively night where everyone in the building seemed in sync. The band brought an in-your-face energy consistent with their musical style, as they played tribute to punk legends of yesterday like The Ramones, while also incorporating more modern, hybrid influences, including The Beastie Boys.

Learn more about the band here, and check out my photos of this wild night below! - Lisa's Lens from Lehigh Valley Underground

What do you call--Promotion of Individuality? Freedom of expression?-fashion, visual art, dance, film, literature? A Peculiarity? Anti-establishment? Aggressive at times? How about we call it “The Punk Rock Creed”. Throughout my many years, I left some genres of music right where they started; some accompanied me to this day. Punk Rock has been a stronghold most of my life. Why? Some may say? Hahaha Many punk rock bands claimed their strangely odd lack of talent, but it is genuine and embraced by many. Not all lacked. I sought after all of the above and still do.
Saturday, February 15th, excitement ensued as I took a trip into Bethlehem to see “RESTING PUNK FACE”. Been a long time seeing a live punk rock band, especially locally. Needless to say, it was not a dispensable night. From the Ramones, to the Sex Pistols, to The Dead Kennedys, their distinction of sound was excellent. THE ENERGY THOUGH----High and amusing!!! Never a dull moment. Love these guys!!
"Like" their page @restingpunkface - Backstage Chronicles III

Resting Punk Face made their Lehigh Valley debut less than a year ago, in April 2019. It didn’t take them long to make their mark on the local music scene, winning Outstanding Punk Band earlier this month at the Lehigh Valley Music Awards. This is no small accomplishment considering there are a number of very good punk bands in the area. Of course, Resting Punk Face is not your typical “old school” punk rock band. They have their own unique style which really comes through on a couple of their original songs and they deliver a dynamic sound on many popular covers.
Being a member of a band has really been a lifelong dream of drummer and vocalist Dorothy Henderson. It wasn’t until she met bassist/vocalist Kizzy that her dream began to take shape. There was an immediate connection and, while learning to play the drums, they began to put the pieces together in 2018. Lead vocalist Cheryl joined guitarists/vocalists Chris and Tim and that dream would soon become a reality. But, there was more to it. It wasn’t just about covering The Dead Kennedys and The Ramones. Dorothy wanted to write and perform her own music as well.
As far as original music goes, theirs is definitely worth a listen. Zoociety and Johnny Ramone deliver that high-energy, get off your seat and on your feet style that you would expect from a punk band. Zoociety features a rock-solid guitar lick about 1:45 into the song that made it a personal favorite for me. But, there’s a unique style in two other originals that stand out. Manboy has a subtle Greenday influence while Maga Swamp has kind of a “reggae meets punk” feel to it. All four tracks have something different to offer, whether you’re a fan of punk or not.
There are several cover songs to listen to on Soundcloud or YouTube as well. They are all good but, their cover of Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill really stands out. Holiday in Cambodia by the Dead Kennedys is another excellent example of what the band can do. If you want a good feel for what they can do live, check out the YouTube video titled “Resting Punk Face 2.0 Clips”. Like the rest of us, they are in a “wait and see” mode and it’s anyone’s guess when we’ll be able to get out and support them at a live performance. In the meantime, let’s give them a little support on the internet. Listening to something new is a great way to fill the void that no live music has left. You can check them out at any and all of the links below. And, while you’re there, give their Facebook page a “like” and a share. - Ralph Pagano