Bowling for Soup are a band that take me back to my teenage years. Having formed 28 years ago, this band have truly stood the test of time and are arguably masters of their craft. They are currently on their Surf the UK tour all around the UK and came to Bournemouth to show the sunny seaside town how to party like they've never partied before.
This tour they brought their pals The DollyRots, Matt Stocks on DJ duties and the legends that are Lit along for the ride. We decided to bring our own buddy in the shape of Max who was beyond excited to see a band that he absolutely loves on stage. Heading to the Bournemouth O2 Academy, Boscombe, we couldn't wait to rock out.
The Bournemouth O2 Academy is one of those venues where there isn't really a bad view. The former old opera house is now a gig venue that has 3 different viewing levels. Max used his eagle eye top spy a space dead centre on the first floor and he was in his element and ready to dance the night away.
Opening up the show was
The DollyRots, a husband and wife duo that take inspiration from the Sex Pistols and Green Day. Whilst they weren't a band that I was aware of before the gig, I could totally get behind the energy and talent that was on stage. They were so fun and some of the songs had us dancing and tapping our toes (or drumming on the pillars in Max's case!). They're a band that I honestly knew nothing about before but will definitely spend time listening to and hopefully popping on a playlist or two.
Next up was the legends that are
Lit. Having not performed in the UK for 9 years, it was good to see them on UK soil. I honestly couldn't be more impressed with the performance that they put on and they covered a range of songs from new ones (that are definitely going on the playlist) to the classics such as the iconic "My Own Worst Enemy" that brings back memories of early 00's teen movies. I couldn't believe the stamina they had as a band as you saw the lead singer Ajay leap into the crowd and jump around on stage as if he was a teenager still. I'm going to be honest, my bones hurt just watching him!
Between all the sets the brilliant
Matt Stocks kept the party going with his hilarious DJ sets. From classic pop punk tracks to iconic rock and pop songs, there was something for everyone to love and Max found each set absolutely hilarious and we all loved singing along to some of the most classic songs of our generation.
Finally it was onto the main event.
Bowling For Soup are a band that definitely do not take themselves seriously and love to have fun at each and every show. it's probably how they have managed to go for so many years as a touring band. With a live bar on set, breaks in the middle of songs, photo opportunities, and even a comedy contest, this is a show like no other. A Bowling For Soup show is a memorable experience as opposed to a generic gig. Their charisma, comedy, and goofy energy just projects onto the whole audience and everyone leaves in such a good mood.
Playing the iconic songs such as "High School Never Ends", "Girl All The Bad Guys Want", and "1985", you can't argue that they had the crowd singing and dancing along to their hearts content. They even managed to squeeze in the brilliant new song "I Want To Be Brad Pitt" which is as catchy as you would think it could be. Max had an absolute blast and had definitely lost his voice by the end of the show. I've never seen a kid scream to "1985" in the way that he did! To say that it was a good night out for the family was an understatement. Bowling For Soup brought the party and cranked it up beyond 11.
Bowling For Soup are continuing on their UK tour visiting towns such as Swansea, Sheffield, and Margate before they continue on a US tour. If you get a chance I urge you to pick up a ticket and have a night of nostalgia, it's totally worth it! For more info:
https://www.bowlingforsoup.com/
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