Soil/Puddle Of Mudd/Dear Superstar/Verses

Talking Heads, Southampton

This show has been sold out since just about when it was first announced, to have Soil and Puddle of Mudd of the bill together is something very special. But to play intimate venues such as the Talking Heads is just incomprehensible, it is the last night of their UK tour with the venue certainly having what feels like a party atmosphere. As you would expect there are a few ticket less souls outside the venue tonight taking a gamble that there might just be a spare kicking about, as this is certainly a gig that any local rock music fan would love to say ‘I was there’. As if the excitement was not enough there are two top class support act as a tasty prelude to the headliners.

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The 1st of these is ‘Verses’ a four piece from Brighton and they take to the stage at the early hour of 7:15pm when sadly most of tonight’s audience are still in the shower, despite this the band play as though the room is completely full with power and loads of confidence. The band have some anthemic tunes such as ‘For A Lifetime’ and ‘Last Night In History’ which have a great melodic twin guitar sound that really made people here tonight sit up and listen, they leave the stage after a great 30 minute set having provided some great early entertainment.

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Dear Superstar take a gig like this in their stride after having already supported big names such as the likes of Papa Roach, Buckcherry, and Escape The Fate. The band have just released their second album ‘Damned Religion’, tonight they out to prove a point and do so by performing some great sleazy style old school rock n roll. Lead singer Micky does his best to whip up the excited crowd by delivering some great vocals on the latest single ‘Our City Sleeps’ ably backed by the substantial guitar sound, so obviously influenced by the likes of 90’s bands Motley Crue, Poison and Skid Row which certainly isn’t a bad thing. This hardworking band are slowly working their way up and hopefully 2012 with be their year.

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The venue suddenly feels a lot fuller, the roadie signals with a flash of his maglite the arrival of Puddle Of Mudd, Wes Scantlin arrives on stage to a huge welcome and he strangely seems a little uncomfortable, the band kick of the set with “Out of My Head” swiftly followed by “Control” which generates a mass sing-a-along amongst the audience. I cannot put my finger on it, tonight the band don’t really seem on it. The music is great but Wes’s voice and attitude is just not right, the band are just about to launch into one of the band’s best loved song’s “Blurry” and much to the disappointment of virtually everybody in the room skip it and go straight into “She Hates Me”. I know that sometime bands have an off day but this set was altogether very disappointing. The scene was set the enthusiastic fans were there but really the band never really got started.

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Soil then came along and saved the evening with a absolutely storming set, this band were the total opposite with a huge amounts of energy. Lead singer Ryan McCombs who left in 2004 to join ‘Drowning Pool’ returns triumphantly and performs as though he has never been away. the band tears through the set at a fast pace, with a hectic mosh pit with plenty crowd surfers going over the top. After 45 minutes the band left the stage and the crowd went wild demanding more, they dutifully returned along with all the other support band’s members(except Wes Scantlin) who were dressed in various styles fancy dress celebrating the end of the tour, a bottle of Jagermaster was passed around with everyone taking a shot in true rock n roll style.. The band then played their best known song from the ‘Scars’ album ‘Halo’ and wow the audience reaction was just amazing, everybody in the place was bouncing, and at one point their was even a female topless crowd surfer, something you don’t see very often. The evening ended with ‘Pride’ and chaos reigned supreme of the dancefloor with everyone making the most of the last number. The gig was one of two halves and certainly one everybody in attendance will remember for a long time to come.

Set -Lists
Soil
Breaking Me Down
Need To Feel
My Own
Road To Ruin
Redefine
Cross My Heart
Wide Open
The One
Black 7
Unreal
Halo
Pride

Puddle Of Mudd
Out Of My Head
Control
Away From Me
Drift and Die
Famous
Nothing Left To Lose
T.N.T. (AC/DC Cover)
She Hates Me

Videos
Soil