Bouncing Souls - Metropolitan University, Leeds, 5/3/2005

  by Helen Tipping

published: 21 / 3 / 2005

intro

At a support date in Leeds to the Dropkick Murphys. Helen Tipping watches the Bouncing Souls play their fast and furious brand of punk and a crowd-pleasing set to an appreciative audience

The Bouncing Souls play fast and furious punk without much room for banter, until they realise they have time to fill, and that's a good thing as they have things to say and we want to hear them.  The crowd certainly appreciate them and it looks as though a large number of them have come just to see the Bouncing Souls, not just the Dropkick Murphys who are headlining.  With the mosh pit full of sweaty bodies, it doesn't take long before the crowd surfing starts!   It's US style punk being more NOFX than the Buzzcocks or Stiff Little Fingers. The Bouncing Souls are from New Jersey and have been going since 1987.  Their track 'East Coast' reflects some of the snobbery that they've found directed against bands from their area by those from the West Coast. It may not be something the UK crowd have experienced, but here in Leeds they've experienced the North-South divide. That's enough to do and a huge cheer goes up.   They finish with the anthemic 'True Believer', a real crowd pleaser which could certainly be a hit for them. After all those years in the business, it's about time they had one.

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