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Review: Bowling For Soup, 02 Academy

If you have ever wanted to feel pure happiness running through every inch of your body, I highly suggest going to a Bowling for Soup gig.

I would also recommend seeing The Dollyrots, MC Lars and Lacey at some point in your life because their supporting slots at the recent Bowling for Soup show at the 02 in Boscombe were unmissable.

I had anticipated Bowling for Soup’s return to the UK, after a temporary farewell tour in 2013, to be a fantastic affair. I had no idea just how full of joy I would feel to be witnessing their hilarious stage presence again.

One of the best parts about Bowling for Soup’s shows is the love that each act gives to one another.

The thanks and the respect that all of the bands showed each other was heart-warming, something common in the pop-punk scene but not mentioned nearly enough.

The Dollyrots, Lacey and MC Lars complimented BFS perfectly, full of energy and passion for everything they were presenting to an enraptured audience.

Lars kicked off with high energy rap and I loved seeing people in the audience begin to pay attention as his rapping became more impressive as the night progressed.

Lacey, a British band from Nottingham, were a pleasure to watch, easing the crowds into the show and creating a friendly atmosphere from the onset.

The crowning glory of the support acts were The Dollyrots.

On first glance both Kelly and Luis come across as mild and unassuming. This was until they were faced with an audience ready to rock. They created a high energy atmosphere that was undeniable, enveloping the crowd in addictive personalities and catchy singles including Because I’m awesome and an unforgettable cover of Melanie’s Brand New Key.

Grins cascaded through the audience as a large percentage of us beamed from ear to ear.

An audience full of different ages, genders and ethnicities came together to bound around and sing their hearts out for the pop-punk heroes from Texas, Bowling for Soup.

From the pyrotechnics that exploded throughout to their collaboration with The Dollyrots on their joint single Love ya, love ya, love ya, they kept everyone spellbound from the outset.

Playing a back catalogue of hits including Punk Rock 101, Emily and their SR-71 cover 1985, Bowling for Soup kept us hooked from the minute they began playing.

Alongside their sing-a-long classics they included a medley of pop-punk covers to flatten the lingering myth that ‘Pop-punk is dead.’

This included music from Blink 182, Green Day, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory and Jimmy Eat World, sending the audience into a euphoric frenzy of moshing and screaming lyrics from the top of their lungs.

From start to finish the entire night was full of elation and energy that a lot of modern shows lack.

Bowling for Soup have lost none of their allure and many of us will continue seeing them for years to come when given the opportunity.