Bowling for Soup’s “Girl All the Bad Guys Want” pulled a Grammy nomination in 2002; “1985” became a radio constant off A Hangover You Don’t Deserve two years later. The power pop band from Wichita Falls has been running on those songs — and a catalog built around what frontman Jaret Reddick calls “happy songs,” high energy and humor — for over thirty years. The Hey! Let’s Be Friends…the Tour closes out its November leg at the Aztec Theatre in San Antonio on November 20, the final date of a run that launched in Houston on November 5 and moved through the South and Southeast before looping back to Texas.
About the Show
Bowling for Soup plays the Aztec with Ballyhoo! and rosecoloredworld in support. Ballyhoo! are a ska-punk outfit from Aberdeen, Maryland, with eight albums to their name, the last four on their own Right Coast Records label. They built their following on the Vans Warped Tour circuit; their most recent album, Message to the World, is out through Right Coast. The November leg has hit venues including House of Blues (Houston), Tipitina’s (New Orleans), and Revolution Live (Fort Lauderdale) before heading back to Texas for the final two dates. This is an all-ages show.
The band’s formation goes back to 1994 in Wichita Falls, where Reddick and guitarist Chris Burney found their footing before connecting with drummer Gary Wiseman and building the lineup that eventually relocated to Denton and was touring nationally by 1997. Current lineup: Reddick on vocals and guitar, Burney on guitar, Wiseman on drums, Rob Felicetti on bass. Their influences ran from 1980s heavy metal to the Ramones and Green Day; the sound that came out is power pop with the humor dialed up. Reddick’s stated rule for the band: “If it wasn’t fun, we’d break up.”
Venue & Logistics
The Aztec Theatre is at 104 N St. Mary’s St. in downtown San Antonio. Show time is 7:30 p.m. VIP meet-and-greet check-in opens at 5:00 p.m., with the VIP event running from 5:30 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets start at $68 through Live Nation and Ticketmaster. A VIP meet-and-greet package is available separately at $106.50, including a stripped-down set from the band, a professional photo opportunity, laminate pass, signed poster, and early entry with priority merchandise access. The VIP pass does not include a concert ticket; both must be purchased separately. Buy tickets