Our coverage, previews and reviews, of ska shows and gigs in Boston and the Boston area.
On Saturday, July 20th, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones played to a packed audience on the Boston Common. As part of their set, they announced the 16th Hometown Throwdown at the House of Blues in Boston. Making the announcement by way of video was Tyler and JR from Spring Heeled Jack USA (you might also recognize JR RePete from Less Than Jake). In case you couldn’t make it to the common that day, the video’s been posted to YouTube.
Last week, Asbestos Records announced that CT ska legends Spring Heeled Jack will be gracing Boston with its presence for the first time since last October’s Skalapalooza. Unlike last year’s affair, they’re not billing themselves as “acoustic” this year. If you were fortunate enough to make it to New York City for the Apple Stomp, you caught the real deal with horns and all. (If I may play the elitist for a moment, the really special event was the two-night reunion in May of 2010 at Toad’s Place in the New Haven. It was epic but rest assured I was still front and center singing my heart out at Apple Stomp).
While 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. This week includes guest DJ, Roots & Razors.
There’s no cover and the drinks are reasonably priced. Here’s the Facebook Event for this week’s installment Thursday, August 15th.
Bim Skala Bim has posted a cover of Bob Marley’s “Easy Skankin'” on soundcloud. I’m really diggin’ the lead hook on trombone, the midtempo ska feel, and the twangy guitars on their version. If you pre-order their new record “Chet’s Last Call,” available August 17, you can download the song now.
Fresh off the Warped Tour (the website says it ended yesterday), Big D and the Kids Table have announced a fall tour stretching as far north as Canada, as far south as Georgia, and dipping into the midwest. Apparently six weeks of downtime is all you need!
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In a bold move, and in true subculture fashion, they’ll be releasing a print edition. You know, a zine! Kudos to the folks making this happen.
To celebrate their first issue, they’re holding a party at McGann’s. Entertainment for the evening will include Boston ska stalwarts, The Allstonians and Riki Rocksteady & The Arraignments.
Ska/Reggae/Rock band Hobo Chili originated in Framingham in 2012, but recently moved to Boston. They recently celebrated the release of their new EP at Davis Square Theatre in Somerville. The next day, July 27th, they made the record available for free!
It was like nothing I’d ever seen. Rumor has it there were 40,000 people there to see the Mighty Mighty Bosstones on the Boston Common last Saturday, a finally to the inaugural Outside the Box Festival. Someone on stage took a pretty impressive photo of the crowd and it’s just a sea of Bostonians.
I’ll spare you too much editorial on this one. Bim Skala Bim is hosting another Mash It Up Fest Saturday night at the Middle East in Central Square. If it’s anything like the last affair, it’s going to be a good time. The line up is killer and Sam Adams is sponsoring the show (promo pints? I certainly hope so). It’s also the unofficial (?) after-party for the Bosstones show on the Common.
Entertainers this evening include JP’s Pressure Cooker, John DeCarlo and Company (fresh off the Version City Tour), Riki Rocksteady & The Arraignments, and Mr. Kowalsky. No, you don’t have to choose between this and the Bosstones. Get to the Middle East at 8 or find the other folks going late from the Boston Common and share a cab. Either way, get your ass there.
Here are the details and here’s the Facebook event. Get to know the bands below.
WATCH: In front of a packed crowd at The Middle East Upstairs, a sold-out show featuring Ramshackle Glory, The Taxpayers, Poor Jeremy, The Takeaways, Fort! said goodbye.