Social Distortion aren't merely marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of their self-titled album with a token backdrop and a couple of obligatory songs. They play ten tracks from the record, effectively turning much of the evening into a reminder of just how strong that material still is. Add selections from Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell and White Light, White Heat, White Trash, and the result is close to an ideal setlist for the Orange County veterans.
The band is tight, the sound is unusually clear, and both help underline what has always separated Social Distortion from most American punk bands of their generation: the songs. Mike Ness writes with as much debt to classic rock and country as to punk, and those influences give the material a weight and melodic reach that many of their peers never had. The structures are simple, but the melodies are poignant, memorable and, at times, genuinely epic.
Twenty-five years on, the edges are cleaner and the execution more disciplined, but the anger is still there. More importantly, so are the songs.
SETLIST:
Check out these related articles from the Electric Eye archives:
You may also enjoy the following sponsored items:
Scan the QR code below to subscribe to Apple TV
