Bowling For Soup, Norwich UEA 17th October 2011
It's mere months since Bowling For Soup's Jaret and Erik last visited these shores with their acoustic show and already they're back, only this time they let the other two members come along.
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Before Bowling For Soup take the stage there's capable support from Pop-punk band Orange who, despite having an androgynous-looking frontman who could pass for about 15 and whose stage manner brought to mind a mincing Johnny Rotten, have been around since 2002. Orange are followed swiftly by the ever-entertaining Suburban Legends, who bring some well-rehearsed synchronised dancing and some trombone vs. trumpet shenanigans. They may be camper than a field full of tents, but I defy anyone to not enjoy the spectacle of Suburban Legends live
Having just released their 11th studio album in 17 years, "Fishin' For Woos", the boys from Bowling For Soup are certainly prolific songwriters. Tonight their setlist (something they don't usually bother with) is comprised of the band's singles to date.
As soon as the band start off proceedings with 'I'm Gay', with its singalong chorus of "I'm gay!" (I'm gay!) Say "I'm gay!" (I'm gay!)", the difference between a Bowling For Soup show and a 'regularr gig becomes apparent; while some bands are content to go on stage, play and then go home, with BFS the band's rapport and interaction with the audience is the lynchpin of the show.
As well as catchier-than-chlamydia hits like 'Girl All The Bad Guys Want' and 'High School Never Ends' we get slightly surreal gags about sex with computers, the gestation period of socks, boobs (including, but not limited to; members of the audience's, Chris Burney's, and even Jaret's mum's), we get a bar onstage(!), and we are treated to the disconcerting revelation that Chris has balls 'like two basketballs in a burlap sack'. The innuendo-filled 'My Wena' goes down well as does 'Punk Rock 101', which features a brief interlude while the band use their bar to the soundtrack of AC/DC's 'Have A Drink On Me'.
Interspersed with BFS's own musical Prozac the band also perform rocking covers of Fountains Of Wayne's 'Stacy's Mom' and Bryan Adams' 'Summer Of 69' and, to end the show, the band improvise an ode to drummer Gary Wiseman entitled 'Do You Wanna Suck On My Balls, Gary?', a tune so catchy that members of the audience can be heard singing it in the car park after the gig.
If sophisticated humour and the latest sounds are your thing it's fairly safe to say a Bowling For soup show may not be to your taste. If a supersized serving of feel-good pop-punk and some good-natured banter is more your thing then this is the place to be.
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 3 available.