Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes came out of Milwaukee in the early 1980s and built a catalog that mixes folk instrumentation with punk energy and blunt, confessional lyrics. "Blister in the Sun," "Kiss Off," and "Add It Up" turned into generational singalongs, the kind of songs that get passed down whether or not anyone bought the album. Acoustic guitar, upright bass, and a snare drum shouldn't hit this hard, but they do.

The band has kept touring for decades with that same lineup of instruments and the same nervy charm. They play Mission Ballroom on their Colorado stop, bringing a catalog that still sounds like it was written by someone who meant every word.