Concert Reviews

Social Distortion with The BellRays and Lisa Kekaula at History

Social Distortion brought their iconic punk rock energy to History in Toronto Saturday Night delivering a performance that was as electrifying as it was nostalgic. Fans packed the venue decked out in denim, studs and two-tone leather shoes. They were eager to experience the raw emotion and grit that has defined the band for over four decades.

Frontman Mike Ness, with his trademark charisma and raspy vocals, opened the show with Through These Eyes immediately setting the tone for the night. I Was Wrong came next before Mommy’s Little Monster had fans crowd surfing to the front of the stage. Ness and guitarist Jonny “2 Bags” Wickersham exchanged solos that danced around drummer David Hidalgo Jr. and bassist Brent Harding’s tight rhythm section, bringing a visceral punch to each song. Other great moments in the setlist were Machine Gun Blues, the anthemic Sick Boys, a new song called Warn Me and fan favourite Ball And Chain had the crowd singing along.

This show was postponed for a year while Mike got treatment for tonsil cancer. Ness shared a heartfelt story about his journey through music and personal struggles, reflecting on the healing power of punk rock music. Playing Story Of My Life as part of the encore seemed like a poignant poem of introspection. It’s clear that Ness still possesses that magnetic stage presence he’s always embodied. Bad Luck provided the fans with another opportunity to join the band singing a classic. A scorching cover of Ring Of Fire set the venue ablaze for a scintillating finale.

If you missed them this time, make sure to catch them next round—it’s a night you won’t want to miss.

Supporting act, The BellRays put on a blistering set to warm the audience up. Lisa Kekaula emphatically coaxed a Saturday night crowd to a climactic celebratory mob. Check out their new album Heavy Steady Go!

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Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the other great acts that they will be bringing to Toronto this year.

About author

John Gallant is a concert photographer and writer at Live In Limbo. Capturing musical experiences.  @hocusfocuspix on Instagram