Shows

Our coverage, previews and reviews, of ska shows and gigs in Boston and the Boston area.

The Regulars: Rude Sounds Monthly Early Reggae, Ska & Rocksteady DJ Night at Zuzu

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rude sounds flyer 2While we all fancy ourselves Spotify and iPod DJs, sometimes you just need the real thing to get the party going. At Rude Sounds, these DJs do just that.

On the third thursday of every month, you can swing by Zuzu Bar in Central Square to catch Selectors Nate EaseUp and Dandy Dan spin early reggae and classic ska. With plenty of room to dance and a little bit of seating, you can definitely unwind from the week to the tunes that got this whole ska thing going.

Cover is only $5 and the drinks are reasonably priced. Here’s the Facebook Event for this week’s installment Thursday, November 21st.

Like Rude Sounds on Facebook to stay up to date on other events featuring this DJ crew.

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Less Than Jake Play Royale, Release New Record on Fat Wreck

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20131112 less than jake fat wreck tourEarlier this year Less Than Jake announced a return to Fat Wreck Chords for their forthcoming record  “See The Light.” It looked like they were headed in this direction anyways with the re-issue of their 2000 record “Borders and Boundaries” originally released on Fat Wreck and the “Greetings and Salutation” compilation.

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Reel Big Fish Plays Royale; Five Iron Frenzy Releases New Record

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20131106 rbf fifReel Big Fish’s 2013 Don’t Stop Skanking Tour kicked off yesterday with support from Five Iron Frenzy, Beautiful Bodies, and Beebs & Her Money Makers. Five Iron Frenzy will support the Boston date while Goldfinger will be supporting several dates on the tour.

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Interview: Ronnie and Tyler from Spring Heeled Jack USA

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spring heeled jack logoLast week we had the great pleasure of sitting down with Ronnie Ragona and Tyler Jones of CT Ska legends Spring Heeled Jack USA. We met up for drinks and falafel at the Middle East where they’ll be playing on Sunday, October 27.

We talked about what the guys have been up to, a bit about how and why they got back together in these last few years, shared stories from the road, and discussed upcoming shows and future recordings!

Here’s part 1 of that interview!

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Photos and Video from Voodoo Glow Skulls Chaotic Middle East Performance

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voodoo glow skulls at middle east jacobwakeup flickr

voodoo glow skulls at middle east jacobwakeup flickr

An intimate yet fierce crowd turned out Friday night for Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Toasters, Left Alone, and The Pomps. Singer Alex Stern of The Pomps opened began their set by thanking the crowd for not going to see Streetlight Manifesto at House of Blues. They played a very tight set of their new wave-inflected pop/ska. They were joined by Jr. Thomas from Minneapolis for two songs and noted they’d be backing him for a set at the Midway Cafe Saturday night (I was unable to make it to that show). Left Alone followed with a really tight set of their Rancid-inspired punk, ska, and rockabilly. The bassist alternated between an electric and upright bass which really made them stand out for the night.

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The Selecter Rocks High Energy Crowd at Paradise Rock Club

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the selecter Cruel- BritanniaI was first introduced to The Selecter in a sort of happenstance way. The closest record store to me was The Exile on Main Street in Hamden, CT. They had a good selection of used CDs and in particular an unorganized box labeled “$5 Ska.” I used to pop in every now and again and dig through that box. I stumbled across The Selecter’s 1999 record Cruel Britannia. I knew the band’s name and I knew they were often cited as by other bands as an influence. I bought it on the spot and was hooked after one listen. It was from there I found my way to their more well-known releases such as 1980’s Too Much Pressure. Of all bands of the Two-Tone era, The Selecter grabbed me first. Much of it was thanks to singer Pauline Black’s distinctive voice (you’ll have to excuse me if I didn’t fall in love with Terry Hall’s voice the first time I heard it).

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Boston’s Own Pressure Cooker Heats Ups Johnny D’s in Somerville, Sept 7

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So maybe it’s starting to feel a little bit like fall. Maybe the temperature dropped a little and the wind is picking up. Maybe it’s that much more important to check out a show before you start using the snow as an excuse not to leave your apartment.