Social Distortion

For years Social Distortion has been my favorite band, but I’ve never seen them live, something always seems to happen: arrests, illness, or I’m just plain broke. So when a good friend called to tell us about the show, we were all over it. In the course of a few days drinking, I got tattooed, beat up by a stripper, smuggled weapons and drugs across the border, and hung out with friends I don’t get to see that often. It was great to get the hell out of Chico for a little while.

I tend to lag. I don’t mean to, I’m just slow (the Valium didn’t help), so we completely missed One Man Army. I heard the last few songs from outside while we were trying to get rid of excess tickets. I heard their set was good, but I don’t know firsthand. I would have liked to see them again, but I didn’t, so fuck it.

Social D fucking rules, it was worth the wait, they played songs from "Mommy’s Little Monster" to "White Light, White Heat, White Trash" and all the way through to brand new songs written for former guitarist Dennis Dannel, who was taken far too early and is greatly missed. The new guitarist (a member of the Cadillac Tramps) did a great job, but somehow it’s just not the same. They played a long set, but it just whizzed by. After finishing "Backstreet Girl," Mike Ness showed the crowd he’s not as old as he looks; he leaned down and bloodied the nose and mouth of a heckler with one shot, he warned the guy, but he kept talking shit. After Ness clocked him, the crowd beat the shit out of him as security dragged him away. Sorry about your luck, pal.

The show was sold out over a month ago and the tickets were a little pricey, but it was worth all of the hassle just to see them play "Hour Of Darkness." Ness, who is really starting to look old, has taken to wearing thick eyeliner again, and by the end some of it was streaming down the sides of his face. (I couldn’t get pictures because my camera was confiscated at the door.) It looked pretty cool with the receding hairline and the shirt and tie.

Who would have thought that they would still be around after 21 years? Even if you don’t like them, you have to respect that they are punk rock legends, and still going strong. After the new album is out (they’re shooting for early summer), they will be touring extensively. If you’re not an idiot you will be behind me in line for tickets.

– Jim Preston

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