Well, I just a half an hour ago returned home from Toronto where I eagerly attended the Social Distortion show at the Kool Haus. The show blew my socks off!!
Having never been to the Kool Haus before, I was concerned when I entered to see it is a huge caverous room of concrete and steel. I was afraid the sound would suck. I parked myself about 15 feet from the stage, dead center thinking this area would have the best sound...I was dead on.
The Dead 60's hit the stage and I was glad I caught them. They sound a lot like "Blackmarket Clash"...this made me happy as this is one of my favourite Clash albums. The rest of the crowd seemed to like them as well.
Mest was next and the audience was verging on cruel. All I could hear around me were screams of "POSERS!!" and "GET THE FUCK OFF THE STAGE!!!" and booing. All I can say to that is this; if you don't like them, go for a smoke, go for a pee, grab yourself a beer and shut the hell up. I'd never heard them before and because of the crowd, I really couldn't at this show. Grow up, I say.
OK, enough about that...
There was quite a long break between Mest and Social D. I was growing impatient. Then finally the lights went out and they emerged to thunderous applause. They sounded great and seemed to have a lot of fun on stage. The set list was;
Reach for the Sky
Highway 101
Under My Thumb
Don't Drag Me Down
Mommy's Little Monster
When She Begins
Sick Boy
Diamond in the Rough
Don't Take Me For Granted
Prison Bound
King of Fools
Bye Bye Baby
Nickels and Dimes
encore;
Footprints
Ring of Fire
Story of My Life
It was a completely diiferent show than the one I saw in the spring and was beside myself with glee.
I'm pretty sure it was during King of Fools that I noticed Mike Ness, with a look on his face that would stop any thug in their tracks and make them pee themselves, pointing and shaking his head at some dude in the audience. When the song was done, Mike looked at him and said into the mic,
"I know you think you're really fuckin' punk rock, buddy, but don't EVER spit on me. I will KICK your ass! How would you like it if I spit in your momma's face? Yea, that's right. You've been misinformed."
The crowd went ape shit. I can't believe someone spit on Mike Ness. I hope he did get his ass kicked. I was tempted to do it myself.
I couldn't take the heat and the smell of the pit any longer so I was on the sidelines for the encore and the sound was terrible...so much echo I could barely make out the words. But I knew them and sang along anyway.
After the show, I managed to get my hands on one of the set lists from the stage...YAY! Jonny came back on stage and signed autographs and chatted with the few people who stuck around, myself included. Outside by the tour bus, quite a large group of us waited almost an hour for the band to come out. By the time they did, there was only about 10 of us left.
Danny was the first to come out and he was the first to sign my set list and a copy of "Live at the Roxy" which I had purchased that day for my husband who could not make it to the show. Charlie and Jonny were next and they hung out and talked with everybody for quite some time. They complained about having to go to Pittsburg. Apparently they hate the venue and swore they would never play there again. They were not too happy about having to go back. The only band member I did not get to meet was Brent and this disappointed me.
Finally Mike emerged from the bus and I was first in line for autographs. I was nervous because the last time I met him, I made kind of an ass of myself. I did not want a repeat of that experience. Handing him the set list and CD to sign, I said,
"The show tonight was fantastic! I'm so glad I could meet you again, because the last time I spoke to you I said something really stupid."
"Really? What did you say?" he said with a grin.
"Because I was slightly intoxicated, I said 'I have so many other peoples' sweat on me because of you and it's so cool!' at which point you looked at me like I was a retard."
The blonde roadie/security guy pointed the flashlight in my face and yelled, "Hey yea! I remember you!"
Mike chuckled and said, "That's cool. It's alright, man."
I continued. "Well, what I really want to say is the world of music would be a very dull place without Social Distortion. Thank you."
"You're welcome and thank you." he said as he graciously posed with me for a photo. We shook hands and as I turned to walk away, he said "That's a really cool t-shirt, by the way" referring to the 'Sun Record Studio' t-shirt a friend of mine brought back from Memphis.
I turned and flashed him my best smile and said, "I wore it just for you. It's were it all started." He smiled and said thanks again and I continued on with the rest of my evening on a HUGE high from the experience with a permanent stupid grin on my face.
It's been almost 24 hours and I'm still grinning. It was definitely one of the highlights of my life.
awesome review man. the guys are all really down to earth that's what i love about them. and i am LOVING the story about the douchebag who spit on mike. people forget that he's tough as shit, cuz he's getting "old" or whatever..
wasn't it only a few years ago that he dropkicked a muthafucka at a show for calling him "nigga"?
peace
awesome review, thanks for sharing.
I bet you felt great to find out what you said last time you met him wasn't received as so awkward after all. It's a problem I guess everyone knows who's been talking to members of a band before.Most of the time you only have minutes to come across the way you want to. With English not being my native language I know what it makes me feel like to approach someone from an english speaking band & talk to them.Nevertheless I'm all for it most of the time.
Anyway I really enjoyed your review.Btw I would have liked to see the Dead 60's support them here in Europe instead of Backyard Babies.They do nothing for me.
I was a the Toronto show too and had such a crazy experience. I took the train down from Ottawa by myself to go to the show, so I was there solo. Anyhooo, three people in front of me were frantically trying to remember a phone number and asked me to remember three digits, which I did no problem. Turns out they were trying to memorize the guitar tuner's phone number, who was able to get these three backstage for the show. Because I was so "nice" in helping them remember the number, they invited me back with them! It was so great, I had three new friends, and was able to watch the show from the side! This is my fourth time seeing them, and I'm too old for the pit, so it was just a fantastic experience to be so close and not get tossed around. I can't believe these guys aren't burning out yet - I was ready to forgive them for a lacklustre show, I figured they must be tired, but they are like energizer bunnies! They just keep going and going and going!
WOW! You had a GREAT time! I have to say, I'm a little jealous...I guess that's why we never ended up finding each other at the show, huh?
I almost ended up going to the show solo. At the last minute, I found takers for the tickets of my two friends who could not make it. In fact, I almost didn't make it Toronto at all...I live a seven and a half hour drive away and told myself I would walk there if I had to. I ended up getting a ride with a freind who was going down to see Paul McCartney.
Great review of the Toronto show, and cool story about afterwards, complete with dialogue! My wife and I go see them all the time in three different states, but we have yet to wait for an autograph or picture, because I'd feel like the biggest tool, being the same age as Mike and doing all that. But this might have inspired me! What the fuck, it's not like I'm going to ask to go on the bus and give him a post-show hummer (although I can't speak for the wife, who is, let's just say, a HUGE fan!). So maybe we'll wait it out, jump in for a picture, give him a quick thanks for all the great songs and shows, and then have a great picture of the three of us.
<font size="2" face="verdana, arial">We must have seen each other - I waited outside the tour bus for a little while, but decided to hop a cab instead. I wish I had stuck around - it would have complete a great night. Did you have pony tails that night by any chance???Originally posted by MrsSlackhopper:
WOW! You had a GREAT time! I have to say, I'm a little jealous...I guess that's why we never ended up finding each other at the show, huh?
I almost ended up going to the show solo. At the last minute, I found takers for the tickets of my two friends who could not make it. In fact, I almost didn't make it Toronto at all...I live a seven and a half hour drive away and told myself I would walk there if I had to. I ended up getting a ride with a freind who was going down to see Paul McCartney.
Are you sure they didn't open with 'Under My Thumb'? I could have sworn... I know they closed with 'Foot Prints On My Ceiling'. And the encore was only 2 songs, 'Ring Of Fire' and 'Story Of Life'.
Anyways, when you got the set list, was it on the left side of the stage? Cause I remember a stage hand handing one out to someone around there. I was the guy holding up someone's lost cell phone for a bit, before handing it over to a security guard by the stage.
It really was a great show. I too enjoy when he told off the kid who spat at him. Half the pit was calling out "where is he Mike?... point him out!". I also was quite proud all the times Mike refered to Toronto as a "rock n'roll kinda city". But my most memorable momment was when during a guitar solo, outta no where he blows this big pink bubble from the gum he was apparently chewing.
I kinda wish I stuck around till after, but I've never done that at a show before, and wasn't sure of how it was done. Oh well, always next year.
<font size="2" face="verdana, arial">yea he's been doing that at all the shows lately. dont know if its something new he started or what.. its cute tho =)Originally posted by Jimmy Jive:
But my most memorable momment was when during a guitar solo, outta no where he blows this big pink bubble from the gum he was apparently chewing.
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