Lollapalooza/Son Of A Bad Man Review

Story by Jacob Fricke 

| Published Sep 7, 2010

In a festival filled with underwhelming headliners, emotionless performers and $6 french fries, it was incredibly refreshing to find an act that poured their heart into their performance, especially at the ungodly early hour of 11:15.

Son of a Bad Man is a southern rock quintet hailing from Jacksonville, Fla., but you wouldn’t be able to tell that by appearance. Lead singer Shawn Fisher looks like a young Chris Cornell, and his backing band wouldn’t look out of place at an AC/DC concert.

Best described as Daughtry with a vengeance, SOABM ripped through a 45-minute set to an ever-growing crowd. Catchy original numbers like “20 Missed Calls” and “Out of Control” had even messenger bag-toting attendees nodding to the music. In addition, the band played a roughly 15-minute Tom Petty medley, and Fisher almost sounded like the pop-rock icon in his prime.

Possibly the best part of the act, drummer Brad Moxey hit harder and faster over his kit than even his band mates expected, and even during the shows weakest moments, he provided an intense beat.

In terms of sheer entertainment they stood far ahead of hard rock contemporaries Switchfoot, AFI, and Wolfmother, who also played the festival.

Only time will tell if SOABM is as successful as their influences. However, if their Lollapalooza showcase was any indication, they have all the potential in the world to do so.