With a tasty line up it was bound to be lively from the start as Army Of Freshmen take to the stage bouncing around in anyway to get the crowd involved. Albeit being somewhat cheesy at times their pop punk ways did the job and get those in early enough warmed up. Singer Chris manages to do all the pointing one can do at a concert but is almost underwhelmed instantly when The Aquabats take to the stage. Despite the age the band are aimed at there’s a fair mix in the venue tonight who have been waiting to see them live for sometime and the announcement of the tour with Bowling For Soup couldn’t have been a more fitting line-up! From pizza parties to saving us from sharks to villains their show had it all, and all the inflatables too. Part of the set saw singer Christian… I mean The M.C. Bat Commander pull up two kids from the crowd to pizza surf and race and win free shirts. I can’t imagine how overjoyed these two kids would have been afterwards and how mortified their parents would have been watching. Although their act can take away from the music it’s still enjoyable and we’re shown all the hero moves. “We’re not the tightest, we’re not the sweetest, we’re not oasis…” M.C. Bat Commander pleads. It’s been a rad set listening to all these “undiscovered hits” before a huge crowd group hug ends the set.
And now for the main attraction (even though The Aquabats could have easily felt like headliners tonight) Bowling For Soup are here to play their second major album Drunk Enough To Dance in full along with the usual hits. Playing an album in full has it’s positives such as hearing the best song third as Jaret proclaims before kicking into Girl All The Bad Guys Want. It really wouldn’t be a Bowling For Soup show with some banter, it’s like the band come as package – all the hits, a bar and some inappropriate banter. After some mumbles and story about powder blue turds where even the band are realise what kind of distraught mess they’re getting into they quickly dive back into the album.
This is apparently their first ever headline arena show in the UK and it just so happens to be in Cardiff and although the lack of numbers shows quite prominently it doesn’t seem to hold over the band. Unfortunately Cardiff lacks a venue between a hall and an arena and that unfortunately leads to some awkward empty arena shows. Bowling For Soup however make it work for them. Around the stage is incredibly noticeable VIPs and a barman, or as Jaret calls them, actors pretending to like the band. Either way their presence adds to the bands flamboyant party theme.
The band are sounding grand and clear which is pretty unusual for the arena. The most action comes in waving form. They claim to be the only band that waves back and do spend the evening waving back to anyone they spot, especially bassist Erik. “I’m a waving mother fucker. Blink don’t wave that’s why Tom left” is the level of tonights jokes. One part sees guitarist Chris and Jaret have a masturbation innuendo face off like one of those don’t laugh games in which Jaret loses every time as Chris’s lightening fast responses get everyone giggling on stage.
Introducing a new feature to the show sees a countdown to one of their biggest hits 1985. As veterans they know their audience too well and quite amusing to see a band embrace fans here for the one hit head on. Tonight has been an all out performance – the lights, the romantic smoke for the ballads, the jokes, the booing, the random hymn, the nostalgia. Even the somewhat Steel Panther take piss photo shoot with fire.
8/10
