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Sum 41 / The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

live in Glasgow, Scotland
2003
live show

Review by: C-T
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CT Music (link)

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Published on February 14th 2003

SUM 41
Support: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, American Hi-Fi
Braehead Arena, Glasgow
Monday February 3rd 2003

First things first, the organisation of this venue is terrible. It's in a dreadful location, it takes ages to find, and then once you finally get in after standing outside for ages (in the snow none the less!) they take your ticket off you and give you a wrist band. The toilets, although signposted (one of those signs now lives in my bedroom) still took an eternity to find, and the bar had an eternal queue of around seventy people. Oh and the floor was concrete. Which is always nice.

But as soon as Boston's American Hi-fi graced the ample stage, the venue managed to redeem itself. The sound quality was excellent, and the atmosphere was pretty great too. The band opened up with "My Only Enemy", a track from their 2001 debut album, and from there on in, played a perfect set full of punk-pop gems. "Flavor Of The Week" being their best known tune went down an absolute treat, as did the quite superb "Hi-fi Killer". Now, the band are doing these shows as promotion for their new album, "The Art Of Losing" and therefore played a couple of new tracks in among the old favourites. "The Breakup Song" is a mid-paced stomper, which has a catchy as hell melody,a and is one of those songs that will stick in the head long after you've heard it. The new album's title track is an absolute killer tune, the perfect choice for lead off single, a punky verse and a super-catchy chorus makes for what is a great song which we will be hearing again and again. The guys finished off their very good set with "Wall Of Sound", which had the vast arena rocking out once more. The set reminded me exactly why I loved this band the first time I heard them, let's hope they do some more shows of this quality in Glasgow in the not too distant future.

Second band on the bill were Hi-Fi's fellow Bostonians, ska legends The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Half an hour simply isn't long enough for these guys to show everything that they can do (we got no "Rascal King" "Jackknife To A Swan" "I'll Drink To That" or "I Want My City Back", to name but a few tonight) but in their half an hour, they pleased their present fans who skanked the set away, and converted a load more to the cause. You just can't help but move when the Bosstones are on stage, and their punkier numbers such as "You Gotta Go!" get everyone into a frenzy. Old favourites such as "1-2-8" were mixed with tracks from the new album such as the excellent "Everybody's Better", a more uplifting song I have yet to hear. Dicky led the crowd in an almighty sing-a-long to the old Bosstones favourite "Where'd You Go", before "The Impression That I Get" reminded everyone what chart hits used to sound like before reality TV. They closed in chaotic fashion with that most hardcore of hardcore songs "Lights Out". Fine set from a band who keep on impressing, long into a fantastic career.

Then the moment the kiddies were waiting for! But when a band puts on this good a live show, it's irrelevant how old the majority of their fans are. Opening up with "Hyper Insomnia Para Condrioid", they had the vast crowd eating from their hands, and the bouncy power-pop of "My Direction" did nothing to change that. By this time, the crowd had got surprisingly aggressive, and I found myself a nice little spot where myself and a few other guys beat hell out of each other all night. Like them or not (I'm in the liking camp) you cannot argue against the fact that Sum 41 know how to put on a show. Rock star posturing, funny between song banter, which doesn't drag on too long and the songs to go. "Fat Lip", the song which broke this band was superb tonight, faster than on record, and really rocking, it was a set highlight even played so very early on. And for a further hour, the guys rocked the arena with their pop-punk gems filled with metal riffs. "Nothing on My Back" "In Too Deep" and ""No Brains" (the song formerly known as ""yesterday.com") all sounded superb in the live environment, and the more aggressive tracks such as the excellent top 20 single "Over My Head" and the frantic blast of "A.N.I.C" (Anna Nicole Smith is a Cunt) went down a treat. In among the songs was some Avril mocking (yes, tell that bitch that she can bugger off) Queens Of The Stone Age and Metallica homage (the opening few bars of "No One Knows" was excellent, and "Master Of puppets" pleased the old skool rockers in the house!) and some Guttermouth covering (yes that's right, Sum 41 cover Guttermouth now! "Bruce Lee Vs. The Kiss Army" was bloody excellent tonight). They finished the set with the couplet of singles "The Hell Song" and the brilliant "Still Waiting" and it wasn't long before they were back on stage tearing through "Motivation" "Hooch" and then finishing off with the fantastic "Pain For Pleasure" not once but twice. "Sum Like It Hot" it was hot tonight, a very good show indeed. Sum 41 haven't quite displaced Green Day as kings of pop-punk yet, but I think they might just have taken Blink 182's place as heir to the throne.

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Posted by NOFXPunkLTJ22 on 2003-06-01 08:35:19
My Score:

Yeah I definitely hope that kid was kidding with the five top punk bands of all time. Those bands arent even punk. What the hell is this world coming to?

Posted by NOFXPunkLTJ22 on 2003-06-01 08:34:00
My Score:

The new sum 41 CD is harder than cheshire cat. Cheshire cat is still emo. This new sum 41 CD is better.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 at 4:06 PM (EST)
My Score:

alkaline, remember, you like Blink... That takes away your "dissing new pop-punk bands" rights. Blink 182 started for the money. They were always sellouts. Anyone else notice that they came out of nowhere when Greenday got popular and were automatically signed to a major label?

Posted by alkalinetrio55 on 2003-02-18 23:26:18
My Score:

i agree matchbox 20 is one of the best punk bands ever...and dont forget bowling for soup along with sum 41,good charlotte and simple plan

Posted by alkalinetrio55 on 2003-02-18 23:23:53
My Score:

sum 41 replace Blink 182......are you fucking kidding me...sum 41 is nothing more than blip on the screen compared to Blink 182......everyone likes to diss Blink but then they all sit at home and listen chesire cat...fuck scotland and canada

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 at 12:57 AM (EST)
My Score:

fuck the bosstones. those sellouts. they were in clueless. as for sum 41, they rock because they stayed true and didn't need to be movie stars and only were on trl.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 17, 2003 at 9:53 PM (EST)
My Score:

dude you're totally right on the about matchbox 20, they would be like my number two or maybe number one punk band ever of all time totally.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 17, 2003 at 9:19 PM (EST)
My Score:

i hope this guy two comments below me is kidding.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 17, 2003 at 9:19 PM (EST)
My Score:

mighty mighty bosstones are really great

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 16, 2003 at 10:48 PM (EST)
My Score:

i wish AMERICAN HIFI was headlining. those guys put the ramones and the sex pistols to shame! i'd say the top 5 best punk bands of all time would have to be (in no particular order) Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, Sum41, American HiFi, and Matchbox 20.

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 16, 2003 at 8:00 PM (EST)
My Score:

sum 41 in 2 words: pop shit

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 16, 2003 at 4:54 PM (EST)
My Score:

Sum 41 fucking sucks ass live, I've seen them twice and that son of a bitch can not sing, two words "studio band"

Posted by Fuzzy on 2003-02-16 12:01:53
My Score:

Old favourites such as "1-2-8" were mixed...
Fuck my soul. That is so new school it hurts me. It's so odd when you've been a fan so long when the new turns into the old...
Bosstones are and will always be my favorite band, several years running...I am sure this was a great show.

Posted by Strewtho on 2003-02-16 09:08:50
My Score:

good charlotte's worse than sum41.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 9:07 PM (EST)
My Score:

You haven't heard enough punk albums if you think the Bastards made one of the greatest, ever. Its an okay album... Not as good as much anything made before 1981.

Oh, don't get wrong. I'm not discounting everything down by The Ramones, Clash, Stooges, Velvet Underground, etc. Those bands all made incredible, ground breaking records.

I guess I should've put one of the best modern punk rock album to date.

My mistake with the wording.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 7:36 PM (EST)
My Score:

The Bosstones are so great. This show gets 8 stars just because they were involved.

Posted by joeg on 2003-02-15 18:39:37
My Score:

anonymous-judging by those comments, are you suggesting you don't like those bands?

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 4:17 PM (EST)
My Score:

I'd rather have my testicles slammed in a car door, be lit on fire, then skinned alive and rolled in salt than go to this show.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 4:04 PM (EST)
My Score:

You haven't heard enough punk albums if you think the Bastards made one of the greatest, ever. Its an okay album... Not as good as much anything made before 1981.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 3:03 PM (EST)
My Score:

I finally bought the Lars Fredrickson And The Bastards album.

One of the best punk albums. Ever.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 2:47 PM (EST)
My Score:

This is C-T again, I did actually know Lights Out was an Angry Samoans cover, they're a great band, and I have two albums of theirs. I enjoyed teh show because it was a good show, when are you guys on here gonna realise that it's all about personal opinion what music people like. If everyone liked the same thing, it would be more boring than reading all you moaning about what other people like.

Posted by turdcorn on 2003-02-15 13:28:55
My Score:

Thats right, I'm a brain washed baby killer! Mother fuckin' Rambo. Thanks for setting me straight. I forgot I wasn't punk. I remember now though. Cool.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 10:58 AM (EST)
My Score:

Turdcorn, you used to serve in the military. Making anything yo say on a "punk" review site nothing but laughable. Go kill some more Iraqi civillians, why don't ya?

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 10:50 AM (EST)
My Score:

wow turdcorn. you're punker than all of us since you knew lights out was an angry samoans cover. reward yourself with a $1 blowjob courtesy of your really friendly local mailman.

Posted by dropkick on 2003-02-15 09:53:20
My Score:

why are the bosstones OPENING for sum41,the bosstones kick ass and sum41 is a bunch a little sh!theads who are crap,crap i tell ya

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 9:41 AM (EST)
My Score:

Turdcorn, who cares if CT knew that or not, is he not cool now because he didn't know it? secondly, this tour does suck, but making fun of the kid for going to see "3 of the most laughable bands" is more pathetic than actually going to the tour (that is if you don't like this show). leave the kid alone, and one last thing...when american hi-fi had "flavor of the week" big, what bands did they tour with then?

*****Wuss-Emo-Rock***** (about to die)

Posted by turdcorn on 2003-02-15 02:16:50
My Score:

"Shit, I typed this all in another forum two days ago". Sounds like soneone here needs to get a life. Evildead, I would be willing to bet that C-T didn't know that Lights Out was a Angry Samoans cover.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 1:36 AM (EST)
My Score:

sum41 is friends with avril. just like they are good friends with no warning. just like they are good friends with Grade(rip). its the whole canadian band thing.

Posted by waste_elite on 2003-02-14 23:27:23
My Score:

sum making fun of avril?

now that's irony

Posted by Edgie on 2003-02-14 22:08:48
My Score:

At least the kids got to enjoy a good band like MMB before Sum41 took to the stage. Man, only giving MMB a half an hour. That's fucked up. When they headlined here they went on for an hour or so, and threw out all kinds of great songs.

The best part? Them making fun of Avril. Anybody else find that absolutely fucking hilarious?

Posted by evildeadalive on 2003-02-14 21:42:38
My Score:

Dear jebus man. I was embarrassed for you reading that. How old are you? You are gonna look back on this review in a couple years and feel like quite the friggin jackass. Decent review and all actually, too bad it was on a couple of the most laughable bands going right now... (and the Bosstones who are anything but laughable, gotta love the Angry Samoans cover) I can't believe no one else has pointed out the absolute total and complete udder shittyness of American Hi Fi. What a fucking joke.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 14, 2003 at 8:40 PM (EST)
My Score:

This is a fucking crying shame. This is such bullshit.

Posted by TheBouncingSoul on 2003-02-14 19:17:18
My Score:

i'd rather have Carrot Top sit on my face for a couple hours than to sit through this...

Posted by joeg on 2003-02-14 19:08:43
My Score:

hehe. that was funny eyeball. yea the bosstones OPENING for sum 41 is a disgrace, but not really that surprising. the bosstones tour and play with everybody and anybody. they've played lollapalooza, warped, radio fests, floging molly, the roots, pop punk bands, ska bands, hardcore bands, etc. i believe the tones even took sum 41 out on tour a few years ago before they blew up. as for sum 41, couldn't give a shit about them. harmless, pop band.

Posted by eyeball_kid on 2003-02-14 18:26:03
My Score:

Sickboi, The Bosstones supporting these turkeys is right up there with some of the great crimes of the 20th Century.

Sum 41? "Yeah, our show may be fun, but the fact that we only have three memorable songs is holding us back. I know, LET'S COVER GUTTERMOUTH!"

OH MY GOD.

They make me blow chunks all over my blue suede shoes. A disgrace.

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2003-02-14 17:54:31
My Score:

about the Damned that is

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2003-02-14 17:54:13
My Score:

woah... they need to be shot if they think that

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 14, 2003 at 5:42 PM (EST)
My Score:

"Oh, by the way, the real kings of pop-punk are the Ramones"

Pop-punk my ass. "Pop-punk" is mixing pop-rock with punk simplicity. The Ramones never did that. They were simple, but far from pop. And as far as the "all their songs are about girls" theory, they also made alot of songs about other "innapropriate" things. Shit, I typed this all in another forum two days ago.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 14, 2003 at 4:32 PM (EST)
My Score:

That would be true about The Ramones, I was talking modern day when I wrote the review though

Posted by sickboi on 2003-02-14 16:07:48
My Score:

Oh, by the way, the real kings of pop-punk are the Ramones, who will NEVER be replaced. (and if they were, it would be either the Queers or Screeching Weasel)

Posted by sickboi on 2003-02-14 16:06:27
My Score:

Bad Religion opens for Blink, the Bosstones open for Sum 41, I now know that there is no god.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 14, 2003 at 3:58 PM (EST)
My Score:

Sum 41 think they're better than the Damned. For that I ahte them.