JERKS DOWN

The international punkfest at Fender’s on Friday drew bands from Sweden, England and Canada, but you wouldn’t have to travel any farther than L.A. to reach the home of the show’s true star: the Circle Jerks.

This isn’t to say that the quartet was at the top of its game. There have been many nights when the local vets have been sharper, more in sync with each other and with the audience. On Friday, the crowd might have been weary after sets by four other bands, but the Jerks’ whip-crack delivery did generate several explosive peaks--like an absolutely torrid reading of “Wild in the Streets.” There were also some delightfully off-center stretches: The band zoomed through a frantic version of Creedence’s “Fortunate Son,” with Keith Morris barking the lyrics from a crib sheet (!). Friday’s show may not be remembered as a Jerks gem, but it still packed a fine, fiery wallop.