Photos/Review: The Bouncing Souls @ Webster Hall

The Bouncing Souls @ Webster Hall - June 9, 2012
Photos: Chris / Review: Geanna B.

Well, hot damn, talk about Fucking Nostalgic! I'm pretty sure the last time I saw The Bouncing Souls was at the Birch Hill in New Jersey. In high school. And I'm also pretty sure that I'm currently TWICE AS OLD as I was at that time, which says a lot about... something. Ah, the Birch Hill. I plastered myself against the stage, crowd surfed all night, and was kicked several times in the head FOR FUN. I left there feeling hot and sweaty and like I had just experienced one of the best nights of my life.

Their show on Saturday was preeeeetty much exactly the same, but this time, we had beer.

Okay, okay, it wasn't exactly the same. But it was pretty freaking close, given my now-feeble joints and aversion to head-kicking. Antsy with anticipation from the beginning, the crowd began to chant the opening to "¡Ole!", a theme that would span throughout the entire night, but was unfortunately a wish to be left unfulfilled. It crushed my soul a little that they didn't play it, but hey, who needs a soul when you can have a $5 can of Heineken?

Before the show, my fellow cohorts and I reazlied that we had very little idea as to what the Bouncing Souls had been up to more recently than 1999. The last album I personally have of theirs is Hopeless Romantic, a staple soundtrack to that summer's driving as I cruised around in a red VW Fox, smoking Parliament Lights and diner hopping around Monmouth County. Hey, quit judging me, you!

Kicking off the night was "Static," from their most recent album, Comet. Touring behind this album's release, I knew we'd be in for a lot of new material and was curious to see how it held up against the classics. While the tracks may be slightly more mellow, the songs were no less catchy, and Greg Attonito's voice is as solid as ever. They played almost the entire album, and the crowd responded positively to every single one. Jumping on stage only to dive back in, everyone in the audience seemed to be reliving the good ol' days, when PacSun was still Pacific Sunwear and everyone owned a Quiksilver tee and a pair of Jnco Jeans with a wallet chain. But I digress...

The band did give us a smattering of oldies and goodies. Highlights included tracks from 1997's The Bouncing Souls like "East Coast! Fuck You!", which was met with a lot of fist pumping, and a very wonderful performance of "Hopeless Romantic" which made everyone (myself included) go kinda nuts. Hearing these songs took me right back to that moment in high school, and even though they closed with a brand new song, "Ship In a Bottle," I felt that wave of nostalgia crash over me again and again and again.

Having had all the fun Webster Hall could dish out, we stumbled outside and looked for our parents' cars to pick us up and drive us home to the 'burbs. Then, getting hit in the nuts with a cab honk of reality, we walked to the bar instead.

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Check out some more photos from Saturday night's show, the setlist from the night, the band's tour dates and Comet's lead single "Static" below...

Bouncing Souls @ Webster Hall - June 9, 2012 Setlist
Static
Kids and Heroes
Sing Along Forever
Here We Go!
Infidel
Midnight Mile
The Something Special
Lifetime
Fast Times
That Song
East Coast! Fuck You!
Highway Kings
Cracked
Hopeless Romantic
Coin Toss Girl
Argyle
True Believers
Kate Is Great
Comet

Encore:
Baptized
Anchors Aweigh
Lean on Sheena (Avoid One Thing cover)
Private Radio
Say Anything
We Love Fun
Late Bloomer
Gone
Ship in a Bottle

The Bouncing Souls 2012 Tour Dates

06.12.12 - Washington D. C. - Black Cat

06.13.12 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
06.14.12 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
06.15.12 - St. Petersburg, FL - The State Theatre
06.16.12 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
06.17.12 - Orlando, FL - The Social
06.18.12 - Jacksonville Beach, FL - Freebird Live
06.19.12 - Pensacola, FL - Vinyl Music Hall
06.21.12 - Austin, TX - Mohawk
06.22.12 - Dallas, TX - Trees
06.23.12 - Houston, TX - Fitzgeralds
07.07.12 - Silverado, CA - Oak Canyon Ranch Orange County
07.08.12 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Theatre
07.11.12 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
07.12.12 - Los Angeles, CA - Mayan
07.13.12 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
07.14.12 - SanLuis Obispo, CA - Slo Brew
07.17.12 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
07.18.12 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
07.20.12 - Sparks, NV - The Alley
07.21.12 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
07.22.12 - Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
07.23.12 - Vancouver, BC - Venue Nightclub
07.25.12 - Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue
07.26.12 - Denver,CO - Summit Music Hall
07.27.12 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
07.28.12 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
07.29.12 - Chicago, IL - Metro
07.31.12 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
08.01.12 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
08.02.12 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre
08.04.12 - Boston, MA - House of Blues