Are You Happy?

The Get Happy Tour

Bowling For Soup, Bloodhound Gang, Zebrahead @ Brixton Academy, London
22 October 2007

Moving onto the second gig in 2 nights, this time it’s to another Carling academy, this time of the Brixton variety. Myself and the Pop/Punkmeister Pete ventured down the venue only to find there was a points failure at Brixton tube…Great! Now considering Brixton is only on one tube line, this becomes somewhat of a problem! Buses provided the only way in and out and thankfully public transport held up pretty well under the stress of the extremely varied age crowd which assembled for this comedy/rap/pop-punk evening.

Having missed the opening band, Zebrahead were plying their Rap-Punk trade to a highly enthusiastic early doors onlookers. Needless to say it was pretty awful, just noise and muffled musings! One for the hardcore fans (whoever they are…).

Bloodhound Gang are not known for their outstanding musicianship or soul searching lyrics. However they are known for outrageous lyrical content and jackass style live shows, tonight was no exception. A large mobile phone styled projector was showing some of the most hideous scenes committed to video, from extreme fat ass wobbling, to animal fornications and back via more than a few topless shots. Their hits sparked huge singalongs with the crowd chanting “Burn! MotherF***er Burn!”, and something about the discovery channel.

The Bassist had a few hideous party tricks in his armory ready to make grown men wince. After downing 2 pints of London Pride, he threw up about half a pint back into the jug, not content with that, he soon drank up his vomit and continued like it was something normal people would do. Of course I’m not forgetting his antics of attaching a metal chain to his meat & two veg, then attempting to pull a large box across stage, with an extremely large dude on top! Not for the faint hearted let me tell you! This performance was very frat boy style over substance, but what else would you expect from the Bloodhound Gang?

Headlining was the oddball pop-punkers Bowling For Soup. Their performance was based on a simple premise. “Are you Happy? if not why not, Get Happy!” Their quirky squeaky vocals project an air of fun and partying which was missing from earlier bands. Their stream of relentless punk rocking riffs alongside social point and laugh commentary lyrics was what this evening needed. Standout tracks sparked crowd-mania with 1985, The Girl All The Bad Guys Want, Suckerpunch and Emily. Their confidence on stage was aplenty and with on stage banter between the (to put it nicely) rather ‘rotund’ guitarist and lead singer providing more than a few giggles.

More than anything this was a blast from the past and a fun evening. But it has made me realize that either a) I’m getting old or b) my musical tastes have changed…slightly… for the better. My hand’s up for b!!