Every once in a while there comes a gig that is a little different from the usual run of the mill. Jaret Reddick’s solo show was one of them. Normally when you see Reddick perform it’s as the front man of Texan pop punk band Bowling For Soup, a show packed with more fart jokes than an Adam Sandler movie.
The Heartbreak and Hilarity tour is something completely different, it is stripped bare to a single acoustic guitar, with a chance to learn more about why the songs were written, and about the man himself.
The evening kicked off with Southampton’s The Lounge Kittens. At first glance they’re a trio of beautiful women, in sequinned outfits, singing lounge music that takes you back to the 40s/50s. A few seconds into their set and you realize that it’s something a little different. Their set was made up of covers ranging from Steel Panther and Limp Bizkit to Slipknot and All American Rejects, all rearranged in their own special way. Plenty of witty banter and honor in between songs.
Next up was the main act. Jaret casually walked onto the stage before heading straight into “If You Come Back To Me” and was accompanied by a vocal Glasgow audience.
The evening was designed to be a showcase of songs from across Bowling For Soups back catalogue featuring not only the hits, but also the lesser known gems. With a set made up of Jaret’s personal favorites and crowd requests we were treated to the back story of each song giving a unique insight to how the songs came to life.
Titled Heartbreak and Hilarity the set included plenty of both. All the usual humor that you would expect, but with an insight to the more personal side of things. From the untimely passing of his former best friend to his personal battles with anxiety and depression.
Overall the whole show was a pleasure to witness. From the opening act to the very last note every second had you singing and listening along to every word.