Sure it's a cliche, but it's true: absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
There was no better evidence for that phenomenon than Friday night, where the much-traveled L.A. quartet Social Distortion put in its first Utah appearance in two years.While Salt Lake crowds could hardly be called hostile toward Social D, at least some in the audience (this critic included) probably needed a little reassurance that the band's act hadn't gotten stale. And reassure they did.
Though the group, which included Payson High School graduate Chris Reece on drums, played just over 80 minutes, their energized rock 'n' roll seemed to be what the crowd was asking for. Crowd members got their wishes and more.
Starting their set, surprisingly, with the title track from their "Mommy's Little Monster" LP (which showcased the band evolving past its hard-core punk rock roots), Social D cranked up the volume and pushed the tempos harder on all of their material. The strategy paid off, too, since some of the group's more lackluster material even sounded great.
But the great material sounded even greater. Witness the band's terrific covers of Roy Acuff's "Making Believe" and "King of Fools," both standouts on their latest, the "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell" LP.
Both showed the band's performance flair, with the near-rockabilly flavor gaining momentum from great dual guitars (via singer Mike Ness and Dennis Danell).
The only unpleasant surprise of the night came from its neglect of its underappreciated "Prison Bound" LP. While the band's other releases got much attention, this gem got short shrift.
A pleasant surprise, though, is the band's continuing country-western flirtations (such as its nearly reverent cover of Johnny Cash's much-covered "Ring of Fire" and "99 to Life." Again, both received charged performances live.
Best of all were the grinding performances of "Bad Luck," "Born to Lose" and "It Coulda Been Me," all typical examples of Ness' "loser rock." Though other performances would have whined their way through the "boy-meets-then-loses-girl" lyrics, Ness added a refreshing almost spiteful tone to his vocals.
Despite the fact that the band's approach is still to wear a little ragged (since some songs on the new LP sound eerily similar to songs on its immediate predecessor, "Social Distortion"), Social D proved they still have enough energy to pull off their heartfelt rock.
Even if they're not the most original band, Social D certainly has the courage of its convictions. And that's something that should be encouraged in these days of corporate and arena rock.
Opening acts Pegboy and the Best Kissers in the World were doomed to fail by comparison, just on the sheer crowd reaction alone. However, Chicago's Pegboy, a splinter off that city's wonderful Naked Raygun, might have yielded better results with better sound quality.
Like Social D, the band has moved past its punk beginnings to embrace a more rock-oriented approach, but the songwriting still isn't on par with Raygun's best. Still, without the muddy sound in the State Fairpark Horticulture Building, songs like "Believe," "Time Again" and "Not What I Want" might have been decent.
Especially evincing hope for the quartet's future was "Strong Reaction," the title track from the band's latest release. Though Larry Damore's vocals could still use some work (especially on its range), John Haggerty's splintered guitar gave the number a spark (as did his brother Joe's frantic drumming).
On the other hand, sometimes the nicest thing you can say about some people is nothing, so I'll mention the Best Kissers in the World in passing.