Review: Social Distortion

Photos by dear friend of music and this blog, Todd Zimmer 

As the road crew prepped the stage for Social Distortion's headlining set inside the Beaumont Club on Saturday, the P.A. entertained the near sell-out crowd with some of Tom Petty's greatest hits. Good choice, it turns out: The crowd sang along to "American Girl" as if the Heartbreakers were on stage, playing the song live.

It wouldn't be the last big sing-along of the night. Social D isn't nearly as well-known as Petty and his band, but after 30 years of touring and making records, Mike Ness and whatever version of the group he calls Social D can still draw a big crowd and make people sing and dance like it's their last night on earth.

The Beaumont was packed Saturday -- 1,400 or so, it seemed -- which meant the lines were long and  sight lines were bad in the back. (And, for some reason, this was an exceptionally tall crowd. I'm nearly 6'3" and it seemed like 10 percent of the crowd was taller than me, including several ladies.) However, the sound, which can be a problem, too, seemed better-than-average. At least the vocals seemed relatively clear. Maybe that's because everyone knew every song on the set list.

To anyone who has seen this band before, this show offered few surprises, and those were relatively mild. The cover of Hank Williams' "Alone and Forsaken" was one; the arrival of "Ring of Fire" early in the show was another. And though they put on the same show they've put on all summer (and into the fall), Ness and the boys didn't mail it in or go through the motions. Ness wasn't exactly talkative but he did chat things up a few times. Before "Nickels and Dimes, he gave a little speech to "seriously discourage" the  youngsters from considering any life of crime. Before "Still Alive," he picked out some guy up front and, based on his looks, congratulated him for still being alive.

The crowd may have had a lot to do with this mood and the band's energy. The place was rowdy in a good way: drinking, dancing, fist-pumping and lots of loud singing, especially during the best-known tunes: "Sick Boy," "Ring of Fire," "Ball and Chain" and the closer, "Story of My Life." One of the biggest reactions came early: during "Sick Boy," when, for the second time, the house took over a classic rock song.

| Timothy Finn, The Star 

Setlist: The Creeps, Another State of Mind, Mommy's Little Monster, Sick Boy, Don't Drag Me Down, Ring of Fire, Bad Luck, Highway 101, Reach for the Sky, Can't Take It With You, Ball and Chain, Bakersfield, Nickels and Dimes, Someimes I Do. Encore: Alone and Forsaken, Prison Bound, Still Alive, Story of My Life.

Comments

[Sin City Disciple]

Fun show. The new songs, Can't Take it With You, Bakersfield & Still Alive fit in well with the rest of the show. Reach for The Sky and Highway 101 always sound great live. I've seen Mike and the boys over a dozen times and I've only seen them mail it in once. I've said it before, but last night was no exception... catching them roll thru Ring Of Fire is usually worth the price of admission.

First trip to the "new and improved" Beaumont and I have to congratulate them for only having 2 bartenders working the bar along the east wall. There were 2 black t-shirted security guys pulling beers whenever they felt like it, but otherwise, the bar was completely understaffed. Always amazes me when businesses aren't prepared to deal with the people that are willing to stand in line to give them money. As a result, I missed the entire set by Strangers. They sounded good.

[jrmcrna]

great show...great crowd-long lines for beer ridiculous so i didn't spend a dime there-my advice~drink at mccoys before hitting the show-the beer is better anyway~

[Bubba]

I've never seen SOCIAL DISTORTION. Sounds like a decent time was had by all. Believe it or not I'm still somewhat recovering from MOTORHEAD and am (sort of) still feeling the vibe. Kansas City, baby in 2009 - you the sh*t! You is happening, KC!! Yeah - Bubba said it.

[The Shawnster]

Great show by a great live band. Mike Ness always brings the intensity. I was a little dismayed by the fools in the mosh pit though. Usually I don't mind if people mosh and slam, as long as it stays in the pit. There were several instances last night when these fools pushed into the rest of the crowd and started shoving people out of the way to get into the pit, and whats with throwing your drinks on the crowd? When did that become acceptable behavior during a show? I know Social D is a punk band, but these fools looked waaaay past their rebellious youth days. It's a shame fools like these ruined what was otherwise a great night.

[Turtle]

First the good, freakin awesome show, Mike Ness still sounds like a CD in concert. Great energy from the crowd. It was good to see so many Social D fans.
The bad, the Beaumont stinks as a venue, IMO. They need to raise the stage at least 2 feet. I was standing about 25 feet from center stage and I could only see the band from the waist up (just the top of the cymbals of the drumset were visable).
I also think they crammed to many people in that building. The review above says 1400 were there, WAY to many to that venue. Personally I didnt think it was safe(that Great White concert fire always comes to my mind in crowded shows).
I expected a rowdy crowd but I agree with Shawnster there were a few times the pit got out of control, but there is no avoiding them at a punk show. Personally I think they should have had the show at the Uptown theater.
I hope Social D picks another location when they come through town next time. Absoulutely a must see band, just be ready for a semi-rowdy punk show.

[Sin City Disciple]

Agree on the mosh pit. It comes with the territory, but I think it's past it's prime. Crowd surfing too. Having been kicked in the head before by a crowd surfer, I adopted a new rule about 10 years ago... Boot me in the head while you are surfing and I'll return the favor when you hit the ground.

[Scott]

The pit was intense, just remember its all in good fun, just push them back, it’s what they want, one guy was trying to get me into the pit but this show was about being close for me. I saw some other guys really smashing each other around and you would have thought they would have been trading fists in no time but they just kept pushing and knocking each other down and when the song ended they gave each other a solid hand shake. Its a punk show, you get what you pay for, to anyone that didn’t like the pit, stay home next time or stay in the back, I was smashed against the front barricade and loved every minute of it. I took a few shots from pit and the crowd surfing, but I lived and it made the show that much more extreme! What a great show, I was also lucky enough to come away with some social d stage souvenirs, come back soon!

[Chubby]

I'm with Sin City Disciple on this one. I had a guy kick me in the back of the head while crowd surfing at the Judas Priest City Market show. He fell to the ground and I was happy to give him three good kicks to the ribs before he had the chance to get up.

[tom petty]

'the singin' wuz good'
'ah liked the singin''

[Bubba]

FREAKIN' ANIMALS - those dang moshers! I say THEY NEED TO GET A life! Take a chill bill, losers!

[Scott]

Come on Bubba, why not join them, have a little fun, vent and smash something next to you.

[Sin City Disciple]

Hey, the cats in the pit can have all the fun they want. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't confess to spending time in the pit in my younger days. I just hate that I have to put up with it if I want to get close to the stage and enjoy the show. I paid the same $28 as those guys, so why shouldn't I be able to do what I want as well? Only a matter of time before one of those guys cracks someone's girlfriend or wife in the face with an elbow and all hell breaks loose.

[SteelToes]

MAN FREGGIN GREAT SHOW great crowd! It's a punk show don't like the pit stay away from the pit, or just shove them back. I agree with some of the comments they need to play a better venue like the uptown. That place was way under staffed for an older punk crowd that like to drink. That place had the same problem during the Floggin Molly show..HEY BEAUMONT PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR AZZ WE LIKE TO DRINK STAFF MORE BARTENDERS!!!!!!!!

[Scott]

A bartender could make some serious money if they walked in front of the stage and sold some drinks there, cash only, hell just have a couple buckets of beer, I dont think people would even care what beer it was, those people aren't moving but they are thirsty and my guess is they would tip good for someone thinking of them.

[Tom]

No "I Was Wrong"? Isn't that their best-known song...?

[Social Distortion Tickets]

When i first saw a Social Distortion's video,i got interested to watch them live.They got every person on the crowd rocking.Mike Ness is really great.To inform everyone,they have upcoming tour this year in US starting July 27 at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie,New York.Everyone is invited.

[EdulseTeedo]

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