The self-described folk punk band Andrew Jackson Jihad performed at Strummer’s in Fresno on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013 as part of their short Southwest tour that covered cities in Nevada, Arizona and California.

The two-man band from Tucson, Ariz. headlined in a show with the Gunshy, a solo and acoustic endeavor by Matt Arbogast.

Sean Bonnette is the lead singer and guitarist and Ben Gallaty plays the upright bass and performs backing vocals. The pair mingled and socialized with the crowd before their performance in the small Tower District venue for the event that lasted from 8 p.m. to around midnight.

The short tour began Nov. 7 in Las Vegas and ended Nov. 22, closing with a show in their hometown of Tucson. Cities Andrew Jackson Jihad performed in after visiting Fresno include Pomona, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Yuma.

The songs for the show was uniquely chosen by a request list found at their vendor table that allowed guests in attendance to suggest songs they wanted to hear.

According to Gallaty, Andrew Jackson Jihad is a band with a “punk ethos, [but] acoustic.” They also prefer to be classified as “experimental American music.” Bonnette was also surprisingly influenced by rap and hip-hop, as well as David Bowie, something their fast-paced, upbeat style belies.

“We’re individuals and our own music tastes have not become a collective music taste,” Bonnette said.

Devin Peralta of the band Cobra Skulls also played solo on acoustic guitar as a last-minute guest and opened the night to a good review by the audience. An acquaintance of Gallaty and Bonnette who lives in California, Peralta performed songs such as “The Streets of Cairo” and “Soulastalgia” from the Cobra Skulls discography.

The Gunshy performed next with a rollicking, lively acoustic set of nostalgic songs tinged with bittersweet and personal memories. Arbogast dedicated songs both to his dog and the adventures they had together and to his wife back home in Chicago. With hoarse and passionate vocals, Arbogast conjures up images of a young Tom Waits angrily sharing his troubled thoughts and personal imaginings with the world– a topic Arbogast humorously mentions as lyrics in one of his songs.

The last show of the night, Andrew Jackson Jihad was clearly the audience favorite, with guests packing the small floor space up to the stage and cheering the band along. The set began with “Survival,” a crowd-pleaser the audience easily sang along and clapped to. Other songs performed were “You Don’t Deserve Yourself,” “Brave As a Noun,” “Sense, Sensibility” and “Rejoice.”

The self-introspective lyrics and light-hearted cynicism of their songs combined with Bonnette’s peppy vocals make Andrew Jackson Jihad a fun show to watch and more than likely a constant source of enjoyment for their dedicated fans.