Photo courtesy of www.theNJUnderground.com
by Tim Norek and Josh Yepez
Home for the Holidays: Bouncing Souls, Chuck
Ragan, Screaming Females – The Stone
Pony, January 29th, 2009
“Well, I've never been the same
since that first show, I close my eyes and
let myself go, To a place I'm never alone
or scared, Somehow I had a reason to care.
I get so lost in it... I get so lost in it...
I get so lost in it... I get so lost in it!”
– Bouncing Souls, “Fight to Live”
“Remember me now cuz things always
change, five long years have gone, I’ve
done some time sleeping where I fall, I know
I’ll never be the same. Remember me
now cuz things always change, five long years
have gone. I’ve done some time sleeping
where I fall I know I’ll never be the
same” – Bouncing Souls, “K8
is Great”
Five long years? It has been over four times
that long since the Bouncing Souls started
their carrier. Unfortunately, I have only
been following them for half of that, but
I can tell you all it has never been the same
since that first show, and I can also tell
you the Bouncing Souls have not lost their
ability to entertain since I first saw them
with Anti-Flag at the Casino Skate Park.
But I’m getting ahead of myself; generally
speaking it is customary to talk about the
opening acts before going on to the headliner.
When I walked in, the Screaming Females had
just began their set. This band, from the
Bouncing Souls’ self-proclaimed hometown
of New Brunswick, was amazing. They were hard
driving with a constant wall of sound smacking
the crowd in the face, and the crowd loved
them for it. Speaking of that hard hitting
wall of sound, the Screaming Females are only
a three piece band!! I’m not sure which
effects they use, but they use them well because
they are awesome and damn hard to figure out.
They have a trippy funky sound that is reminiscent
of the 70’s, but with the hard hitting
edge that only New Brunswick punk could bring.
Singer/guitarist Marissa Paternoster was intriguing;
I could not tell whether she reminded me more
of Stevie Nicks or Joan Jett; but either way,
the blend was amazing. I’m sorry to
say I have never taken the opportunity to
see them in a basement, but if the chance
comes again, I will most definitely take it.
Unfortunately, if their performance at the
Pony is any indication of their future, I
don’t think I’ll get the chance
to seem them in small venues much longer..
As my friend Josh put it: “If I was
a record producer, I’d go up to them
and say ‘I want to make out with you
guys… record deal style!’”
Up next was Chuck Ragan. What can I say about
Chuck Ragan? Glory. If someone was to tell
me that a packed house of punks waiting to
see the Bouncing Souls would cheer and sing
along to a folk artist, I would have had my
doubts, but no more. And the gusto this man
did it with?! Springsteen is the only man
I’ve ever seen play an acoustic guitar
and a harmonica with such vigor and intensity.
It really was awe inspiring to see the diversity
of music the Souls are to bring together,
and how willing their fans are to except it.
Chuck Ragan is a perfect example of this.
Now before I go on to talk about the Souls
set, I’d like to talk how great the
venue itself was. It is refreshing to see
that after 20 years, the Souls' love of their
fans has only intensified. To start with,
they had a program this year that not only
had a bio for each band playing the venue
from the 26st until the 29th, but it also
had a rundown of the local Asbury Park eateries
and bars for the Souls fans who are from “out
of town”. In addition, they listed where
the after party would be after each show,
along with letting the fans know about two
documentaries which were screened at Asbury
Lanes on the 27th and the 29th. In addition
to the nifty programs, the Souls had plenty
of free shwagg for their fans including posters,
wood matchboxes, and guitar picks (unfortunately
the guitar picks were all gone by the 29th).
They also had a limited edition 7-inch 20th
anniversary box set which could only be bought
at the show, as well as a limited edition
3rd anniversary Home for the Holidays poster.
And if you think that’s still not cool
enough, the Pony gave away complimentary 20th
anniversary shot glasses with every shot bought
(I have two). Way to go guys, all class.
So now we get to the main event. Now I must
give my reader a short disclaimer. I’ve
been going to and reviewing punk rock shows
since I was 14, but I didn’t start reviewing
them on my own till I was about 18. Now at
first this did not stop me from going into
the pit. However, soon after I started reviewing
on my own, I got head butted in a Catch 22
pit and was unconscious for most of the next
set. That makes for a pretty big hole in a
review. So after that moment, I vowed for
my readers' sake that while I was reviewing,
I would not enter the pit. However, in this
particular case though… I mean it’s
the Bouncing Souls… Home for the Holidays…
20th anniversary… the last night! Can
you blame me? The pit called. I answered.
It was amazing. So please forgive me if the
review has a few holes in it at this point.
So the Souls had their fans make set lists
for them for each of the four shows they did
while they were “home of the holidays”.
On this particular night the set list was
made by one Shannon, and she made it a 7-part
rock opera chronicling the themes of love,
loss, acceptance, and music, and maturity,
while nicely blending music from all the different
eras of the Souls sounds. It wouldn’t
be complete of course with the Souls adding
their own encore. The entire time the crowd
went crazy. The band fed them their energy,
and the crowd fed it right back to them. Like
a good wine, or as I’d prefer, a good
beer, the Souls only get better with age.
Unfortunately, the only real difference between
going to a Bouncing Souls when I was 14 and
now, is how much more pain I’m in the
next morning. Oh, but was it worth it!!! Lots
of love guys, keep it coming, keep the heart,
and keep it Jersey. You’re the best.
