This past Sunday, the Ska Goes Solo tour stopped at The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge. The tour featured solo acts from Chris DeMakes, guitarist and vocalist for Less Than Jake, Ryan Eldred, saxist and vocalist for Catch 22, and Jay Tea, keyboard player for The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. Local support included Threat Level Burgundy and Senior Discount.
We, unfortunately, could not make the show, but YouTuber and Boston ska supporter atheistpeace69 was there and captured much of the night on video. We created a playlist to the best of our abilities, but admittedly, the songs are probably not in the exact order of the evening. One highlight so far is the trio closing (?) with Toots and the Maytals’ “Pressure Drop” and Operation Ivy’s “Unity.” However, their take on Desmond Dekker’s “Unity” leaves a bit to be desired. Jay Tea’s melodica playing through out the night is a nice touch.
If that’s not enough, our friends at Asbestos Records have released a 7-inch split from the artists on this tour for only $6.