Social Distortion / Backyard Babies

Social Distortion / Backyard Babies: live in Norfolklive in Norfolk (2005)
Social Distortion

Reviewer Rating: 4

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Contributed by: sickboiChris
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Published on March 8th 2005I've come to the conclusion that Mike Ness is the "Jim Jones" of punk rock. Not in the sense that he wants kids in studded belts and patches to drink the proverbial Kool Aid, but closely enough that any outsider would see him as a falsely worshipped idol. Whatever your point of view is, it is rather.

I've come to the conclusion that Mike Ness is the "Jim Jones" of punk rock. Not in the sense that he wants kids in studded belts and patches to drink the proverbial Kool Aid, but closely enough that any outsider would see him as a falsely worshipped idol. Whatever your point of view is, it is rather difficult to deny the man's uncanny ability to draw a crowd.

Opening the show was Boston's own Street Dogs. Anyone unfamiliar with the group, I'll spare the redundant details about their history and boil it down to basics. The band comes from your typical street-punk backgrounds, yet manages to fuse the sound with melody and traditional rock tendencies unlike any other in the often-too-crowded genre. The set mingled with tracks from both the stellar debut Savin Hill, and the recently released, and in your humble reviewer's opinion, underappreciated follow-up, Back To The World.

Front man Mike McColgan has a stage presence unlike any I have ever witnessed. His delivery and presence is so forceful and potent, yet at the same time almost eloquent. Yet, most noticeable about the recently solidified lineup is the comfort level they seem to have with one another. To anyone unfamiliar with the band, you would assume the boys had been playing together for years. Former Kickover/Disaster Johnny Rioux and former Bosstone Joe Sirois add the needed balance in rhythm that seemed to be lacking from previous live sets. The band plans to continue touring like madmen; I'd highly recommend you check them out when they come through your town.

Up next was the Backyard Babies. I must admit I was completely oblivious to the Stockholm, Sweden punk/rockabilly/whatever-the-hell it is sound they offer, and at first, was not impressed. As the set continued on, and their energy and passion continued to increase, and they slowly began to win me over. By set's end, I was learning the choruses as the songs went by and singing along where applicable/able to. I picked up their most recent offering Tinnitus, which I highly recommend.

Naturally, as Mike Ness and Co. took the stage, the crowd erupted like the fucking Beatles had landed. As the set began, the NorVA seemed to come alive, with the entire club bouncing up and down and screaming every word to every song in a unified chorus. Highlights included "Ring Of Fire," "1945," "Don't Take Me For Granted," and, well, practically the whole set. Compared to a recent show I had seen of Social D in DC a few months back, the band seemed much more inspired and focused. Not a single song seemed like set list "filler."

My only complaint would have to be Mike's sometimes monotonous rantings about punk of today versus punk of yesteryear. Yes Mike, I know that years ago you couldn't walk down the street dressed the way kids do now. We've heard it on the live record, and we've heard it at every show before. Just be grateful that society is much more accepting of a lifestyle and scene that you worked so hard to create and maintain. However, Mike did take a moment to recognize some of the younger audience members, and asked the crowd to give it up for the younger kids who will be leading this scene into the next generation.

Overall, I can't complain much. Social D never disappoints, the Street Dogs impressed me more than I thought possible, and the Backyard Babies introduced me to their interpretation of punk that hasn't left my CD player in 3 days. Let the good times roll.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (March 11, 2005)

They played stuff off of every album when they played milwaukee a couple months ago. Ball and chain and Story of my life, and angels sing were the encore numbers. was really suprised by angels sing. I have seen them 3 times and they have never played it live.

Anonymous (March 11, 2005)

"I hate the beetles"

I do too. But 'the beatles' rule.

Anonymous (March 10, 2005)

I was at the NorVa show also, and if I recall the new song was called "Diamond in the Rough"

sickboi (March 10, 2005)

Sorry I didn't post a setlist, but here's what I remember:

Ring of Fire
Highway 101
Reach For The Sky
1945
Sick Boys
Ball and Chain (I think)
Under My Thumb (RS cover)
Telling Them
Prison Bound
Story of My Life

There was one I thought he said was brand new (not on the new album) but I don't recall its name.

Anonymous (March 10, 2005)

I hate the beetles

notfeelingcreative (March 9, 2005)

"if the set was anything like the one they played in boston it was something like this... reach for the sky, highway 101, under my thumb, sick boys, mommys little monster, diamond in the rough, I wasn't born to follow, 1945, don't take me for granted, nickles & dimes, telling them, prison bound, 99 to life, footprints on my ceiling, ring of fire, story of my life. "

They must be using the same setlist for the whole tour, no"ball and chain" no "bad luck", no "makin' believe" nothing off "white light, white heat, white trash" and the same fucking songs off "sex love & rock n' roll" that they played last tour, I don't know why they can't throw "Angels Wings" in there!! Anyhow, I reiterate the setlist was disappointing to me!

Anonymous (March 9, 2005)

if the set was anything like the one they played in boston it was something like this... reach for the sky, highway 101, under my thumb, sick boys, mommys little monster, diamond in the rough, I wasn't born to follow, 1945, don't take me for granted, nickles & dimes, telling them, prison bound, 99 to life, footprints on my ceiling, ring of fire, story of my life.

I drank a lot during the bb set so I'm not positive thats accurate aside from the first & last 3 songs.

Anonymous (March 9, 2005)

Street Dogs opened the show I saw in Boston (was the one wednesday night) and really tore it up, I was expecting the backyard babies to play first but street dogs came out and went right into salvin hill, was great. I heard they played dirty old town on tuesday, sorry I missed that.

notfeelingcreative (March 9, 2005)

I saw this tour friday, I was alot more disappointed with social d's setlists than I was at the other two shows they've played here within the past year and a half!

Anonymous (March 9, 2005)

I wish this band would do a tour of the UK sometime

Joe

OnTheAttack (March 8, 2005)

Backyard Babies opened in Boston.

Benjasaurus (March 8, 2005)

Attempted setlist would be nice.

I have mixed feelings about the Norva. Overpriced food/drink, fascist security, too tall of a stage and too big of a barrier, and ridiculous anti-dancing policies... but it is a very comfortable venue and a good place to see a show... not to mention the fact that it's one of the few venues around here that gets decent bands..

Psychoos231 (March 8, 2005)

"Well, I can like someone who has shitty taste in music, but he edits his own comments after a dispute on his boards in order to sound far more intelligent/correct than he really is. If there was an edit comment feature, every Joe Someone would be having a field day making themselves sound cool."

--------------------
Does he? FUCK HIM THEN!
Nah i just misspell words and forget to correct them then i press the send button and my posts come out looking like shit...
No big deal eh.. Its PUNX to have shitty grammar. :P

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

"punk/rockabilly/whatever-the-hell it is sound they offer"

You loose any credibility you have by even THINKING BYB may be or even slightly influenced by rockabilly.

Oh, and they're only "boston's own street dogs" if you were IN Boston

UberShep (March 8, 2005)

"Is that the AP character? All i know about him is that he listens to shitty music and everyone here hates him...maybe i should join in on the bashing.. seems like the cool thing to do."

Well, I can like someone who has shitty taste in music, but he edits his own comments after a dispute on his boards in order to sound far more intelligent/correct than he really is. If there was an edit comment feature, every Joe Someone would be having a field day making themselves sound cool.

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

tinnitus is the backyard babies 'best of' compilation?

i guess they launched a live dvd/cd a few weeks ago.

Psychoos231 (March 8, 2005)

"There needs to be an edit comment feature.."

quit being so tatecore

-
Is that the AP character? All i know about him is that he listens to shitty music and everyone here hates him...maybe i should join in on the bashing.. seems like the cool thing to do.

Anchors (March 8, 2005)

I will kick you in the tights and you will go down you're very top heavy. You glass bitch.

You glass bastard.

sickboi (March 8, 2005)

Regardless of his merchandise peddling, KRS One is one of the greatest MC's of all time.

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

I got ready for this show by finding cds by the opening bands. By the time the concert was here, I didn't know who I was more anxious to see. The Street Dogs RAWK. The Backyard Babies were everything I expected from their albums and should be headlining their own tour. BUY their new cd Tinnitus and find out why. Social D was unbelievable! And, not everyone has heard the speech from Mike Ness about punk future generations. It was great somebody brought their 10 year old kid to the show, though.

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

backyard babies rocks a lot.

swingline (March 8, 2005)

i saw this at ucsd .. except no street dogs and in their place were a dj (who sucked major balls) and krs-one. krs-one was all about merchandise sales, he even told everyone to follow him out the doors and to the merch stand. it's understandable since crack price is soaring, but is that what "real hip hop" is about? anyways, backyard babies were pretty good... couldn't really hear the singer though. then came social d. a lot of people at ucsd did not know who the hell social d is before the show. it's pretty fucking unbelievable.

UberShep (March 8, 2005)

"There needs to be an edit comment feature.."

quit being so tatecore

TheOneTrueBill (March 8, 2005)

Man, I wish they would've played 1945 this fall.

The first time I saw Social D, they started right out with 6-7 old school songs, even including Lude Boy. It was amazing.

Psychoos231 (March 8, 2005)

Only three bands?

There needs to be an edit comment feature..

Psychoos231 (March 8, 2005)

Social D are bigger thatn God

UberShep (March 8, 2005)

"I haven't seen SxDx live before but I have 4 of their albums. I only hear good things though"

Score's for replacing periods with xs. Shame on you.

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

These guys would be a lot better if they stopped singing about angels and heaven and other such nonsense.

joeg (March 8, 2005)

bastards skipped dc this time. oh well, i hear they're hitting the east coast again in the fall.

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

Saw Social D play twice in Boston in the past four months Agree that the return trip seemed a little more together than the first one, which seemed more like a nostaglia act. If you like the new album, you will love the show since those songs appear frequently on the set list and often seem even more inspired than the rest of the set.

Anonymous (March 8, 2005)

I haven't seen SxDx live before but I have 4 of their albums. I only hear good things though