The Silver Spring Penguin

Punk veterans Tru Fax and the Insaniacs work the same buzzsaw guitars and Deborah Harry vocals that they’ve rocked for 29 years.

The District quartet — Diana Quinn on vocals and rhythm guitar, David Wells (not that David Wells) on lead guitar, bassist Kenny Bugg and drummer Michael Mariotte — started the show in 1979, back when bands recorded music on something called vinyl.

After cutting an album with a local label, Tru Fax was invited to play in the major leagues. But in those days, “signing to a [major] label was considered akin to selling one’s artistic soul,” the band wrote on its MySpace page. With dignity (and perhaps a little regret) in check, they opted to stick with the indie scene.

That fidelity to indie punk gives Tru Fax a gritty sound juxtaposed with a bubbly beat. It’s a cheeky irony that makes punk deliciously irreverent.

Songs like “Betsy’s Dressed Up”, “Friday” and “Pictures of You” mirror the punk end of Blondie’s “Parallel Lines”. Other tunes — “King of Machines” and “Washingtron” — nod at The Stooges, and “Love Love Love” is a gabba-gabba-hey! away from The Ramones.

Sample tracks by Tru Fax and the Insaniacs on the band’s MySpace page, then get the full Monty tonight (Mar 28) at The Quarry House (8401 Georgia Ave). The gig starts at 9:00 p.m., and the house usually hits patrons up for a $5 or $10 cover.

Images courtesy of Tru Fax and the Insaniacs.