Pop Break Live: The Bouncing Souls, Swingin’ Utters on the Rocks Off Concert Cruise, NYC
Words & Photos by Pat Gilrane
On October 19, 2018 the fine people from Rocks Off Concert Cruises loaded the Liberty Belle Riverboat with a capacity crowd of punk rockers for a night of music, views and mayhem. On the night’s ticket, Jersey and California punk with The Bouncing Souls and Swingin’ Utters.
Arriving at Pier 36 about an hour prior to departure there was already a cue of diehard’s in line waiting to get a good spot on the boat. The staff, clad in unicorn outfits (with a few penguins thrown for good measure) quickly moved us on board, with the bar being the first stop for most (including me).
The Swingin’ Utters
The Swingin’ Utters took the stage while the boat was still tied to the dock, a rush of people outside taking in the sights making their way into the main room. The Utters are a California based punk band originally formed in 1987 with current members Johnny Bonnel on vocals, Darius Koski on guitar and backing vocals, Luke Ray on drums, Tony Teixeira on bass and backing vocals and Jack Dalrymple (absent) on guitar. The Swingin’ Utters are a Fat Wreck Chords recording artist touring in support of their latest album Peace and Love which dropped this past August.
The Swingin’ Utters wasted no time in getting things started, kicking their set off with “Dubstep” off their new album, the crowd a little slow to respond, were totally involved by the songs end. One of the things the Utters are most know for is the stage presence of front man Johnny Bonnel whose smooth Frankenstein-esque moves compliment the bands gritty punk riffs and beats. In all the years I have been a fan of the Utters they have never disappointed me with an album or live performance, just great old school punk served in a dirty glass as it should be.
The set moved on with the Utters digging deep, playing songs dating back over twenty years including “Pills & Smoke,” Tell Them told You So,” Fistfull of Hollow,” Kick it Over” and “Brand New Lungs”, off the bands stand out album Here, Under Protest.
The Swingin’ Utters played a total of eighteen songs turning the main deck of the Liberty Belle into a mass of bodies crowd surfing, stage diving and working the pit!
Setlist:
Dubstep
Pills and Smoke
Kick it Over
The Librarians Are Hiding Something
Tell Them Told You So
Human Potential
No Eager Man
Windspitting Punk
Five Lessons Learned
Glad
Brand New Lungs
Pour Beans
Alice
Fist Full of Hollow
Dirty Sea
Fifteenth and T
Next in Line
The Bouncing Souls
All conversations about the punk scene in Jersey begin and end with The Bouncing Souls. From their humble beginning’s playing backyard gigs in New Brunswick, to selling out multiple days at the Stone Pony — they have no equal here in the Garden State. With a career spanning decades Souls gigs are a kind of punk family reunion, with fans young and old meeting up at shows letting loose.
In a world of cross-over bands straddling musical genres the Souls are unique, focusing on one thing, punk rock, and no one does it better! The Bouncing Souls are, Greg Attonito on lead vocals, Pete Steinkopf on guitar and backing vocals, Bryan Kienlen on bass and backing vocals, and George Rebelo on drums. The Souls last album Simplicity, dropped in 2016 via Rise / Chunksaah Records.
The Souls walked onto the stage, the crowd in a frenzy as the band dove into “Blue Moon” off the Comet album, the crowd surfing immediate. I was able to spy the setlist prior to the show and couldn’t help thinking it was going to be a long crazy night. The band and crowd seemed to feed off each other’s energy in an almost challenging way, with the band driving hard, and the crowd giving it right back.
The set continued with an unrelenting frenetic pace of classic Souls punk ballads, one after another, ceiling tiles being knocked out by crowd surfers, people diving into the crowd from the railing in front of the stage and Asbury locals (Sean & Phil) joining Bryan Kienlen on stage at the microphone.
The Bouncing Souls have come a long way since their early New Brunswick days and have always remained true to their punk roots, they clearly represent Jersey / Asbury Park music and are the foundation of our scene. The Bouncing Souls played a total of twenty-one songs during this show and left the crowd spent, and possibly needing a handful of Tylenol!
Setlist:
Blue Moon
Hopeless Romantic
Sing Along Forever
Say Anything
That Song
Cracked
Lean on Sheena
Manthem
The Something Special
East Coast Fuck You
Ballad of Johnny X
Born Free
Late Bloomer
Lamar Vannoy
Gone
Kate is Great
True Believers
Hear We Go
Born to Lose
The Freaks Nerds and Romantics
Night on Earth
In conclusion thank you to The Bouncing Souls and Swingin Utters for the years of great music. Also, a huge shout out to Jake Szufnarowski of Rocks Off and his smartly dressed crew who kept us all safe and sound while on board! Check out the Rocks Off website for future shows!
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