Two absolutely legendary American punk rock bands Bad Religion and Social Distortion have teamed for an Australian tour. This is the first time ever both bands have done a tour together making this a tour that has the rest of the world jealous. It’s a Saturday night in Sydney and after a swelteringly hot day and afternoon storms, thousands are making their way to the Hordern Pavilion.
The line to buy merch was way longer than the bar lines with fans eager to get a shirt from one of their idols. With Aussie stoner punks Anty playing a short set to get the crowd ready for the night ahead. After they finished the crowd really started to fill up proving this tour had reached double headliner status with no one wanting to miss either of the So-Cal legends.
Social Distortion swaggered onto the stage with vocalist Mike Ness looking effortlessly cool. Huge cheers erupted from the crowd as they began their set. Now this is a band that rarely visits our shores so we were all in appreciation for their return visit. As they started out with songs like “bad luck” and “reach for the sky”. Mike explained that this year is the 40th anniversary of their first album Mommy’s little Monster before playing the title track of the album. Followed by “sick boys”.
The band then gave us a surprise cover of Chris Isaak’s “wicked game” that had many in the audience swooning over Mike’s vocal tone. Then delivering their anti-war song “1945”. Social Distortion are currently in the middle of making a new record that pays homage to the first wave of punk bands like New York Dolls, Iggy Pop, Ramones and Sex Pistols. We got to hear two instantly likeable new songs from the record called “over you” and “tonight”
Ness introduced “ball and chain” by saying he wrote the song in the late 80’s after he got off drugs and alcohol. Then imploring the crowd to sing along for “story of my life” as the song proved a test to see how many could clap along and sing at the same time. As the set finished with their cover of Johnny Cash’s “ring of fire” that ignited the entire room. Ness and band genuinely looked stoked by the occasion leaving the stage by saying “you’re a fantastic crowd, we will be back I promise”.
The bar lines grew as after a short break the mosh pit ready crowd began to fill the room back up. Bad Religion burst onto stage wasting no time, whipping the crowd into a frenzy straight away. Starting out with “too much to ask” then continued with “fuck you”. What followed was a huge twenty one song set list. With little crowd interaction throughout they let the music do the talking.
Vocalist Greg Graffin commanded the crowd like he was a preacher delivering a sermon. As every lyric of his was delivered with passion and intent. “Come join us” was the beginning of many Saturday night singalongs. “Los Angeles is burning” and “21st Century (digital boy)” had many in full voice. For a band with seventeen studio albums they managed to play a varied mix keeping the most diehard fan happy.
Even though the crowd for the most part was full of older punk rockers, the band’s high energy set delivered a sweaty mosh pit upfront, with many crowd surfers throughout. “Sorrow” closed out Bad Religion’s main set as we waited for the inevitable return for an encore. Returning to the stage to finish with “Fuck Armageddon …this is hell” taken from their very first album. Then ending with the band’s anthemic song “American Jesus”. Before leaving the stage bass player Jay Bentley thanked us and said I think we are going to take this tour around the world it’s fucking great!
Tonight in Sydney Australia at the Hordern Pavilion everyone in attendance got to witness a historic night of American punk rock. Both Bad Religion and Social Distortion proving for over 40 years that punk’s still not dead!
(photos by Christian Ross)
