Fri. July 27 and Sat. July 28

They were young, loud, snotty and fun. They were part of Boston's punk rock-roots rock scene of the early '80s, and though they were too rough for mainstream success, they were a great night out at the Rat. They were the Dogmatics. In 1986, their bassist Paul O'Halloran perished in a motorcycle accident. "When Paul died, the band died with him," singer Jerry Lehane emailed me. "However, we've done many reunions and benefits since.  We play one, maybe two shows a years." They've got a weekend at Johnny D's Friday July 27 - with the Flies, Bristols, Piranha Brothers, Sourpuss and the Hired Men -  Saturday July 28 with New Frustrations,White Dynomite, Lucky 88's, and Lenny Lashley. The MC both nights, the irrrepressible Patrick McGrath, owner of Looney Tunes and singer-guitarist of Wheelers and Dealers (among other things.)
  "We are playing this show for my sister-in-law Sue Cibulsky who is riding 180 miles in the Pan Mass Challenge on behalf of her mother who passed  from cancer two years ago and drummer Peter Sisco who was recently diagnosed with follicular lymphoma. Peter played drums in my '90s band Hot Box, and then moved to San Francisco and ended up as the drummer in Johnny Angel's band Creeps in Exile."
   "The essence of the Dogmatics has always been heart and soul," Lehane continues. "We definitely didn't possess the talent of the talented bands around us but we gave 110% and worked our asses off to get better. We lived 25 lives in the 5  years that we were together from 1981-1986. It was like we were shot out of a cannon and thrust into the Boston music scene.         "

     The songs we wrote are a snapshot of our lives. 'You Say' - http://youtu.be/QRHij429MH 0 isabout the Ronald Reagan years. 'Sister Serena' is about growing up in Dorchester and being taught by rigid Catholic nuns - http://youtu.be/Nid6_GHGbbg - 'Thayer St.' about living in a South End loft during our 20's and living the rock life" - http://youtu.be/x_QakUvlcgM - "Christmas Time (Sure Don't Feel Like)," is Paul's song about despair and being homeless - http://youtu.be/38AzylaAax0 'Hardcore Rules' was our sarcastic view of the boston hardcore scene, "MTV", a brillian song about the culture of that time, and 'Pussy Whipped,' well, it needs no definition. You also asked me if I could write the songs now that I did in the past and how do I feel about playing them now.  I asked Pete this question. I said, 'Pete I don't think I could write 'Pussy Whipped' now and Pete said to me 'Yeah, because your wife would be pissed.'
    "We knew how to write and how to describe things. We mastered our instruments during the latter part of our career. We were always thought of as a party fun band and we definitely were that band.  However, our songs stand the test of time and we are much deeper than we appear."
    The Dogmatics did a benefit show last year for two friends that were riding Pan Mass. Local booker Tom Johnston put it together and asked again this year. "I declined at first and thanked him for offering," says Lehane. "But my friend Peter Sisco, called me and told me he had cancer and asked me if I could help.  I felt privileged to help.  I called Tommy and he put the gears in motion.  The bands I asked to play have been very generous with their time.   I have no doubt in my mind that these two nights will be a huge success and raise a ton of money for Peter and Sue.
We like helping people and feel fortunate to be in a position where we really can help. You want to get symbolic, Dogmatis are David and the world is Goliath. That's how we've always felt. Pete O'Halloran answered the question that back in the day saying, We really believed in the saying of live fast die young. However now that we are older your responsibilities change and you start to think how you help out others you care about.  And he said the essence of the Dogmatics was " to go full throttle without any regrets whatsoever and that's what we did."

   Lehane - who by the way is the cousin of Boston crime novelist Dennis - notes that the players on stage this weekend have been (or are) members of 21645, Scruffy the Cat, The Upper Crust, Titanics, Neats, Lyres, Turbines, DYS, Darkbuster, Matweeds, Darlings, the Piss Poor Boys, Classic Ruins, and Shaggahs. "The exciting news for Boston rock fans is the reunion of Homestead recording artists, The Flies, featuring Nat Freedberg on lead vocals and guitar (Freedberg went on to find further success with Titanics and the Upper Crust.)
   The Dogmatics were Lehane, drummer Tom Long, guitarist Peter O'Halloran and bassist Paul. After Paul's death, Lehane says, brothers Johnny or Jimmy O'Halloran played bass.

17 Holland St., Davis Square, Somerville, 617-776-2004 www.johnnyds.com , http://www.facebook.com/events/314316558649187/