It’s been a whopping 20 years since Bowling For Soup performed in Toronto, and as of this past Friday, the pop-punk legends finally made their triumphant return as they performed to a sold out crowd at The Phoenix Concert Theatre with The Anti-Queens and Rival Towns.
When 9:20 rolled around, the band wasted no time as they opened their set with heavy hitters such as ‘Almost’ and ‘Ohio (Come Back To Texas).’ Right from the start, it was evident that this band has a stage presence that is unmatched. Frontman, Jaret Reddick, captivated the crowd as his iconic voice filled The Phoenix. Guitarist, Chris Burney, and bassist, Rob Felicetti, were seen interacting with the crowd and doing neat tricks with their picks, all while drummer, Gary Wiseman held down the fort – none of them seeming to miss a beat. They also managed to let their personalities shine as they sprinkle in a lot of jokes and stage banter.
During ‘Punk Rock 101,’ the band abruptly stopped and Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ began playing over the speakers as the band proceeded to strike a pose to each side of the venue to give them a ‘photographic opportunity’ then slowly rolled into a choreographed dance number. I’ve never encountered a band who could effortlessly Rickroll the crowd or tell a joke then pick right back up from where they left off.
The night hit a more serious note as Reddick introduced their song ‘Turbulance.’ He started off by letting the crowd know that he suffers from depression and reminded everyone that if it could happen to him, someone who is always bubbly and smiling, it can literally happen to anyone and it’s important to reach out. He wasn’t sure if the stigma surrounding depression in the states was something that also happened in Canada, but since he had a microphone and an audience he felt the need to mention it in case it helps someone else in the crowd to know they are not alone. I’ve always appreciated artists that take the time to share their story, because he’s right. With such a large following, you can help so many people struggling and remind them that they aren’t alone.
Reddick also took the time out of the set to thank the band’s crew, who he said most have been with them for quite a number of years. Specifically, Marco, who was celebrating his birthday the night of the show and flew in straight from a trip to Disney World with his family to help the band out on tour. They brought him out on stage to thank him and sing happy birthday. It was genuine moments like these that gave fans a glimpse into their tight-knit tour family.
In what felt like true Bowling For Soup fashion, the band kicked it back into high gear as they performed Reddick’s biggest song outside of the band, ‘Today’s Going To Be A Great Day,’ or as most people might recognize it as the theme song he wrote for Disney’s Phineas and Ferb. With a 19+ crowd, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I wasn’t the only 30-something year old who knew every word to this children’s theme song.
With the night coming it a close, the band ended their set with their cover of SR-71’s ‘1985’ and it was evident that the crowd didn’t want the night to end as everyone sang along and danced to the very end.
I’m honestly still mesmerized by the experience, and I’m just going to throw this out there, but out of all of the bands I’ve had the chance to see over the last 15+ years, Bowling For Soup is easily up there as one of my favorites. From perfecting their craft as musicians and their on stage chemistry to their ability to make every fan in the room feel as if they are part of their family, they’ve left a lasting impression on me and I’m sure for many others in the room.
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Jaret Reddick & Gary Wiseman also have an awesome podcast called “The Rockstar Dad Show” which you can check out over on idobi.
Be sure to check out F7 Entertainment to see what other shows they will be bringing to Canada this year.