Show Review: 542

So, these guys are clearly not the typical Lollapalooza fare. I would venture that most of the kids that heard of this band prior to Lolla were also there to see Green Day, one of the many bands that these guys have clearly influenced. Mike Ness, the lead singer/guitar player and the band’s guiding force is a cool customer and treated this show much like many of the other times I’ve seen them which is to say steadily and straightforward, no bullshit, just kickass punk tunes that tell the tales of the downtrodden and dispossessed. One of my friends was looking forward to checking them out on my account seeing as how I was stoked to see this band far more than any other. In fact, I was only curious about the other bands I saw that day, nothing more nothing less. Seeing Social D again I was completely transformed to my punk youth and reminded of the way it used to be on the scene back in the early days of punk’s infancy. These guys are the messengers from that past. I caught up with my friend later that night and he offered "I checked out Social Distortion. I listened to their first two songs. They sucked." At first I was surprised by his reaction but then I remembered that although I always liked these guys and what they were about they were an acquired taste. When I first heard them, I dismissed them as not hard enough and not fast enough. But they kept creeping up on me over the years and now they’re one of my all time favorite bands. Why? Well, they aren’t obvious at first, at least not for me. What I’ve come to realize over time is that they sing about universal outsider truths and do it in a fairly laid back way. It’s one of those things that end up having much more impact because they’re not so in your face but rather slow and steady. At least that’s how they are for me. Social Distortion continues to kick ass and was easily the highlight of this year’s trip to Lollapalooza. Oh yeah, and they’re now signed to Epitath Records, another Punk Legend, and have a new album coming out this November… can’t wait. Photo here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimkiernan/4887136784/ Videos here: Bye Bye Baby www.youtube.com/user/SuburbanAntiChrist#p/u/0 /cN7JEUe4wEk Story of My Life www.youtube.com/user/SuburbanAntiChrist#p/u/1 /eEUyErV7aZU Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash cover) www.youtube.com/user/SuburbanAntiChrist#p/u/2 /OkMUZFuQF40 Social Distortion’s Setlist Saturday, August 7th, 2010 Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago 1. Story of My Life 2. Bad Luck 3. Bye Bye Baby 4. Under My Thumb (Stones cover) 5. Don’t Drag Me Down 6. Mommy’s Little Monster 7. Sick Boys 8. Reach for the Sky 9. Ball and Chain 10. Highway 101 11. Sometimes I Do 12. Still Alive 13. Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash cover)