This year marks the 25th anniversary of Social Distortion’s break through self titled 3rd album and to celebrate, the band is taking to the road playing it in its entirety.
Released in 1990, the album represents a turning point for the Orange County punk rockers. It’s here that band leader Mike Ness started to take the group away from the Southern California hardcore punk of it’s earlier releases and find his unique voice by mixing his his love of country, rock and punk. Creating a signature hybrid of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols and The Ramones.
As Ness would later wax nostalgic on the genesis of the album to the sold out Chicago crowd, “I knew the punk rockers wouldn’t like some of these songs, but you don’t get anywhere in life without taking some risk.” It’s a risk that has paid off with a 30 plus year career and a legion of die hard fans.
Preceded by Colorado’s “Drag The River” and rising Alt Country songstress Nikki Lane, the band took the stage at approximately 10pm to the strains of The Rolling Stones “Gimmie Shelter”. As Ness struck the opening chord of “So Far Away” on his Gibson Les Paul Deluxe the crowd erupted and pushed forward.
The pleading drive of “Let It Be Me” followed the chugging opening cut as it does on the album. The aforementioned country influences made their first really appearance with the melodic “Story Of My Life” with the eager crowd ready to join Ness in the big sing along chorus.
As the band alternated between the driving punk and country inspired melodies the crowd ate it up knowing every word and note to come as Ness and 2nd guitarist Johnny “2 bags” Wikersham traded solos.
Between songs Ness gave what seemed like heart felt thanks to the fans for the support of his vision and mused of the challenges of his early life, overcoming a debilitating heroin addiction, losing friends and band mates over the years in his search for maturity and stability, themes that runs through much of his work.
The stand out moment of the night was on what is arguably the bands most well known song, “Ball And Chain”. The tempo slowed to a smoldering, yearning plea for release. Seemingly every voice in the house could identify with it, as they nearly drowned out the band with an almost arena size sing along.
A few surprises were in store in addition to the 10 cuts from “Social Distortion” including a more raucous rendition of The Rolling Stones classic “Wild Horses” as well as Hank Williams’ “Alone and Forsaken”, which was covered on their latest release, 2011’s “Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes”
The band closed out the night with a double encore of souped up Johnny Cash classics, “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Ring Of Fire”.
I’ve seen Social Distortion many times since I first saw them open for Neil Young in 1991 and they have always delivered and this show on a hot summer night in Chicago was no exception. Whether you’re a long time fan or new to the band this 25th Anniversary tour is one not to miss.
