Images: Social Distortion, Frank Turner, SHARKS January 27, 2012 at the Joint

Social Distortion returned to Vegas a little over a year since selling out three nights at the House of Blues, this time selling out the massive Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel. Not many punk bands can pull off that feat, but then again, not many punk bands have been able to maintain success for as many decades as these Southern California mainstays. Their mix of punk rock and outlaw country has amassed them a huge and fiercely loyal audience who went crazy for classics like “Sick Boy” and show opener “Bad Luck” as well as newer cuts like “Machine Gun Blues” and a semi-acoustic version of “Reach for the Sky.”

Besides running through the very best of their long history, the band also pulled out three cover songs, “The Last Time” (The Rolling Stones), “You Win Again” (Hank Williams, a track Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness originally covered on his first solo record) and perennial favorite “Ring of Fire” (Johnny Cash), taking up 3/5 of the band’s encore. I’ve seen Social Distortion many times over the past 14 years and while more than a few of those shows felt like the band was just going through the motions, this was not one of those times. Maybe it’s because it was the first night of the tour but Mike Ness’ voice sounded better than I’ve heard in at least a decade and the rest of the members were on point the whole time. Unfortunately, additional restrictions on the show kept us from getting many pictures of the headliners, but rest assured they are just as dapper-looking as you remember.

Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls filled the middle slot and was the band I was most looking forward to seeing that night, which really says something on a lineup this strong. Turner stole the show at 2009’s more intimate Revival Tour and he did the same at the much, much larger Joint. A lot of that is due to the charisma he exudes. This was Turner’s first full-band show in Vegas and it was great hearing his folk-punk songs fleshed out in a live setting with lush, though simple piano, thumping bass, and raging harmonica. Besides his personal harmonica player, the frontman also invited one lucky woman from the crowd by the name of Nancy for a “private” harmonica lesson and solo during “I Still Believe.” His set featured a nice mix of older songs, such as “I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous” mixed in with a big chunk of his latest LP England Keep My Bones before ending with an extended version of “Photosynthesis.” Frank Turner got his start singing for hardcore punks Million Dead and has recently revealed that he is working on a new hardcore project, claiming to feel the itch for the faster style again. That itch seems to have bled over to his solo work, as the one new song we were treated to was definitely the fastest and most rocking of his discography and I can’t wait to hear more new songs from him.

Starting the night off right was another group of musicians from the UK: SHARKS. Their Clash-influenced sounds and high-energy antics, particularly those of new bassist Tony Corrales, succeeded in winning over the early crowd which was mostly unfamiliar with the band. If they were nervous they didn’t show it, coolly playing through their anthemic songs. They played a few new tracks from their upcoming debut full length No Gods, including new single “Arcane Effigies” and “What Entails?” as well as tracks from their EPs, concluding with my personal favorite and the song that introduced many people to the band “It All Relates.” The crowd might not of known all the words yet, but more than a few fists were seen pumping along to the beat as their set began to wind down, ensuring they made quite a few new fans that night.

-Emily Matview

Photos by Emily Matview | https://www.flickr.com/photos/holdfastnow/

and Tyler Newton | http://500px.com/spottedlens

Social Distortion setlist:

Bad Luck
So Far Away
Story of My Life
Machine Gun Blues
Sick Boys
Telling Them
Bakersfield
Gimme the Sweet and Lowdown
Dear Lover
Sometimes I Do
Nickels and Dimes
Winners and Losers
Reach for the Sky

Encore:
You Win Again  (cover)
The Last Time  (cover)
Far Behind
Drug Train
Ring of Fire  (cover)