Flogging Molly and Social Distortion co-headline Berkeley’s Greek Theatre

Flogging Molly & Social Distortion Summer Tour 2019,
along with The Devil Makes Three and Le Butcherettes
Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California
September 26, 2019

Photography by Marc Fong

Berkeley’s Greek Theater was awash in myriad shades of punk rock glory Thursday night, as co-headliners Social Distortion and Flogging Molly, along with support acts Devil Makes Three and Le Butcherettes, treated the crowd to a night of energetic mayhem and all-out fun.

The evening got underway with L.A.’s Le Butcherettes who provided a set that mashed performance art with head-banging abandon.  Dressed in red with a matching eye stripe, singer Teri Gender Bender writhed, stomped and contorted herself atop a bed of tightly orchestrated punk rock rhythms for a performance that was as disjointed as it was powerful.

Santa Cruz trio The Devil Makes Three followed, drastically shifting gears with their own eclectic mix of bluegrass, blues, and Americana. It seems that the only thing it had in common with the other groups on the bill this night was the attitude. Frankly, that’s all they needed. Guitarist Pete Bernhard, banjo player Cooper McBean and stand-up bassist Lucia Turino, seemed to revel in the confusion they generated, slowly pulling the audience in with each new song. And then they dropped the hammer, launching into a rousing bluegrass-tinged cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” that bridged the gap between their own roots-rock stylings and traditional punk-rock assault. As if on cue, the crowd seemed to finally understand. When the set was over, they had the audience in the palm of their hands converting more than a few fans.

And then all hell broke loose as Flogging Molly took the stage. With the playful picking of “Drunken Lullabies” providing the cue, the audience instantly transformed into a pogo party. The seven-piece Celtic rock band was tight and never let up, keeping the energy level high and leaving the crowd spent by the end of their set. Vocalist and frontman Dave King led the band through a career-spanning setlist full of favorites and the band kept the crowd in a fervor, clapping and singing along at the top of their lungs. Highlights included “If I Ever Leave This World Alive,” “Devil’s Dance Floor,” and “Float.” What truly makes this band unique is that there is no discernible distance between the band and the crowd. They are not performing for the audience. Instead, they celebrate WITH the audience, leading a non-stop party full of joy and revelry that leaves the audience drained and happy.

Which is a bit unfortunate for co-headliners Social Distortion.  Mike Ness and company had an uphill climb from the start, and yet they played like they didn’t notice or even care.  The seminal punk band powered through more than a dozen songs from their forty-year career with an energy and sharpness that proved they had nothing to fear in following anyone at any time. And the crowd certainly agreed, showing their support with moshing, singing and ear to ear grins.  Curiously, the band did not play some of its biggest songs. Nor did they play the expected encore. They ended the night by bringing the crowd to a fever pitch, closing the set with their classic rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” leading into an amazing version of “Story Of My Life.”  As they left the stage, the crowd screamed for more, only to be met with the houselights, followed by the crew dismantling the equipment.

In retrospect, it was a pretty punk rock thing to do.  Bully for them.

MARC Fong

Marc is a Bay Area photographer who is more than likely at a concert right now. When he’s not shooting a show, he’s probably practicing law or helping law students with their legal research. It’s okay. He’s a lawyer. Marc likes turtles and other animals.