The NOFX song “Scavenger Type” tells a sad tale of a street performer named Bill who just wants to make enough to buy a beer and eventually succumbs to the cold. While a somewhat unorthodox punk song, it shows to prove something: punk can be just as powerful when it’s unplugged. If you were to think of everything associated with punk rock I’d be willing to bet one of the last things you’d think about is an acoustic guitar, and yet many great punk ballads come from just that. When punks go unplugged it always makes me happy, because it feels like it’s really getting to the essence of that genre. Punk is about expression, and these songs prove that there will always be a way to do that. Anti-Flag’s song “Turncoat” comes to mind. The song starts acoustic and eventually moves into a full band, much like how the protest song would eventually spurn the whole punk movement. It shows that even if you take away the electricity and the venue, that expression will still exist. Even if you take away the capacity to record these songs, they can still be taken to the street. This is why I love punk so much, it’s not just a genre but a way of life, a way to fight all the problems and injustices in your life. Unplugged songs say that there will always be a way to do that. The show is called Laurier Loud, and in my opinion some of the songs that were played last night are louder than anything I’ve played. Punk rock isn’t a genre of music, it’s a way of life and I can’t think of something that serves to prove that point more. Cheers to you acoustic punks! <br><br>