Good Charlotte – as popular as a boy band

Good Charlotte rocked the Carling Academy in Bristol on Wednesday night. I first became aware of GC when I joined a gym and “Girls like cars and money” was one of the few decent songs playing on MTV at that time. A subsequent recommendation from my mate Gary – he doesn’t do this often – and I got a couple of albums.

I’m not the only person to misunderstand Good Charlotte’s image but it’s the music I like and that’s what matters. They look like they might break into rap at any moment but I'm happy to say that they don’t. They’d lose me if they did. On the inlay card to their first album they made a great deal of their Christian beliefs and this surprised me. I don’t associate religion with punk rock. When the prospect of seeing them in Bristol came up I took it although I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Support band was Rooney, a Californian five piece some of us thought we’d heard of. I think they were on the sound track of Herbie Re-loaded, which (funnily enough) is one of the few recent teen films I’ve seen. Well, I’d seen any others there’d be cause for concern. Lindsay Lohan is kind of cute. And I like hi-po Vee Dubs. The plot was pants, though.

Rooney couldn’t come from anywhere else but California. Their songs were sunny power pop and I like that. I reckon they could be a band with a great commercial future ahead of them. They were obviously enjoying themselves but Mr Larcombe turned to me at one point and said “They’re too nice!”

Good Charlotte were sufficiently nasty though even though Benji did a couple of acoustic numbers half way through their set. They had the grit I like and were fast, musically very accomplished and played hook laden songs with conviction. They weren’t really singing to me – a middle aged punk – but it seems like we’re still on the same wavelength.

Joel has a brilliant voice and knows how to use it. Benji, being the same genetic material can also belt ‘em out and together they can produce some great harmonies. Gary reckoned Dean the drummer was a bit overwhelming. He was bloody good but I thought he fitted in – maybe he kept Paul on his five string bass and Billy on rhythm guitar on their toes.

What struck me most, though, was how “nice” these guys are. They really want everyone to enjoy themselves and in between songs spoke of how much love they felt for each other and their fans. The audience lapped this up. It didn’t come across as corny but sincere just like their music.

At one point somebody got hurt in the mosh pit. “Hey do we have a bleeder?” said Joel.

There was a brief pause while the band directed a rescue. “Hey we just want to get you fixed up with a band aid, you’re not thrown out, once you’re okay you can come right back in. Hey is there blood on the dance floor? Sweet!”

Ah yes, the audience. Good Charlotte appeared pleasantly surprised at the, er, youthful femininity of their following in Bristol. God knows what the average age was. I spotted a few mums and dads in charge of some enthusiastic kids. I didn’t feel out of place, though, because GC address the universal themes that I grew up with and still want to hear about.

It was a sell out gig and as we approached the venue we could see the kids queuing round the block. By the time we went in, the dance floor was packed. For the first time ever we went up into gods. The Carling Academy has two balconies and we found a good line of sight but couldn’t see the dance floor and didn’t fully appreciate the make up of the audience. When it came to Girls like cars and money and it was the girls turn to sing, it was clear how many girlies were in the audience.

“Er, are there any guys in the audience?” Joel wondered.

So Good Charlotte must be sexy as well as able to rock. Maybe their image isn’t such a problem after all. Maybe the softer more recent stuff is a smart move

Anyway, I had a great time. I just wish they’d done Festival Song though. That’s one of my favourites - your future's no future! However, we were treated to Little things and that seemed to be a spontaneous decision as Good Charlotte responded to their fans on the night

Apparently, GC have come in for some stick in the music press for still playing Lifestyles of the rich and famous, now that they are themselves rich and famous. It’s not going to put them off though. They made it quite clear who they’re playing it for and also who put them in that happy position. The rest of us are not rich and famous. Yet. I’m working on it, though, and I’ll still listen to this stuff when I’ve made it even though it will be forbidden fruit.