Photo Credit: Samantha Nork
On May 11th, 2024, esteemed bands Social Distortion and Bad Religion arrived in Detroit on their co-headlining tour.
The Masonic Temple is an absolutely gorgeous venue that proved to be a great setting for the show. There was definitely a diverse crowd with fans of all ages gathering around to see these iconic acts perform live. The opening act was LoveCrimes, which is the band fronted by Mike Ness’s son, Julian Ness. They gave a lively performance that infused the crowd with anticipation for the rest of the night.
Taking the stage next was Social Distortion, who delivered an unforgettable setlist stuffed with fan favorites as well as classic hits. They performed songs such as ‘Bad Luck’, ‘Mommy’s Little Monster’ and ‘Hour of Darkness’. When their popular hits ‘Ball and Chain’ and ‘Story of My Life’ were played, the crowd’s excitement hit its high point. The band concluded their set with their electrifying cover of Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’.
Last but not least, Bad Religion closed out the night with their adrenaline-fueled set and had the crowd shouting along to their punk rock choruses. They played a wide variety of songs from their catalog such as ‘The Defense’, ‘21st Century (Digital Boy)’ and ‘Infected’. Greg Graffin, the band’s singer, is always such a joy to watch onstage with his many facial expressions and hand gestures. With an encore consisting of ‘Sorrow’ and ‘American Jesus’, the band closed out the show with the crowd wanting more.
All three bands on the bill were entertaining to watch and sing along to. Even though both Social Distortion and Bad Religion are almost four decades into their careers, they proved they can still put on riveting performances. Witnessing these music legends in action made us realize that age will never diminish the true spirit of punk rock.