PUNK: Andy Smash & the Rust Belt Hotrods 

Andy Smash traces his lineage to French settlers in colonial New York and cites that as a musical influence, along with his days in seminary and a photo of his grandfather playing a banjo in the 1930's. His band, the Rust Belt Hotrods, is a 100 percent certified organic homebrew that fires on all cylinders and harkens back to groups from the first wave of punk rock. Sometimes there's a dark streak to the lyrics, but Smash says he thinks about lofty theological concepts when writing about people drag racing down the road. The Gowns shares the bill.

Andy Smash & The Rust Belt Hotrods perform Friday, October 12 at Tala Vera, 155 State St. 8 p.m. $5. tala-vera.com.