Photos by: Rebecca Carter

There are few venues more appropriate for a Social Distortion show then the Hampton Beach Casino. The rundown, yet kitschy main drag was as packed with fans rocking Social D shirts as it was with fried dough stands and arcades.

Currently on tour in support of their recently released Greatest Hits album, they opened the sold-out show predictably with “Road Zombie,” “Reach for the Sky” and “Highway 101,” the opening songs of choice on the last few tours. Despite the heat and shoulder-to-shoulder packed room, the crowd was as rowdy and passionate as ever, singing every word and occasionally erupting into chants of “Hey, hey, hey” during the breakdowns. The set continued with more live staples such as “Under My Thumb,” “Mommy’s Little Monster,” “Nickels and Dimes,” and “Sometimes I Do.” Newly added to the set was Hank Williams’ “Six More Miles,” a song covered by Mike Ness on his solo album Under the Influences, and while it just wasn’t the same without the fiddles the call-and-response style backing vocals of the live version was a great addition. Also included in the set was “Far Behind,” the new single that accompanied the Greatest Album, and the crowd already knew it word for word.

Ness was in rare form throughout the show. In character as usual to say the least, he really seemed to be feeding off of the crowd’s rabid enthusiasm and his between song banter ranged from surfing and hot dog stands to something about Caligula. The entire band was in high spirits and although the new line-up isn’t that new anymore, they have really come together as a whole. While a year or two ago Ness and fellow guitarist Jonny Wickersham were content to let drums, bass and piano take the lead on any improvisations this time around their jamming has become a lot more solid, most notably during “Sick Boys.”

The highlights of the night came during favorites “Ball and Chain” and the two closers “Prison Bound” and “Ring of Fire.” With rumors of an acoustic album, revisited demos and entirely new material surrounding the much anticipated next studio album, Sunday night’s show proved that wherever Social Distortion decides to go next with its music, their fans will surely follow.