The Dallas ska scene, although not immense, was out in full force at The Studio at The Bomb Factory. Less Than Jake stands as one of the defining bands of third-wave ska alongside other favorites The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish. The third wave is defined by blending off-beat rhythms of traditional ska and speeding it up to almost a punk-like fervor, and follows the first two waves, the first out of Jamaica and the second out of the U.K.
The circus kicked off with Catbite out of Philadelphia. The youngest of the bands, although not new to the scene, brought Brittany Luna's powerhouse vocals. The Suicide Machines came next and pumped up the energy to the point where the room felt like it was shaking. Their high-octane punk-ska energy was beyond intense and led to one of the most furiously paced sing-alongs Dallas has ever seen.
Next up was the legendary Fishbone. This band, formed in 1979, has influenced a boatload of bands, including The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus and Sublime, as well as all the bands on the lineup last night.
Fishbone is absolutely bonkers on stage. Angelo Moore led the charge, but by no means was he the entire show. The band took turns singing lead, then harmonies. The horns were blazing, and at times it was hard to even track what was going on besides beautiful musical chaos. Moore even jumped into the crowd and surfed while he sang. The phrase "a tough act to follow" could have been coined to describe this band, and it almost made one wonder why anyone would dare play after them.
But then Less Than Jake took the stage, and it was all too clear that the fans came for this band. If Spinal Tap goes to 11, these guys go to 21. Their set was less chaotic in comparison, but they made up for it with their energy, which never dropped throughout the set. The band did not stop moving, crisscrossing the stage, and their connection with their fans was solid and a display of pure joy from both sides of the pit.
From the downbeat to the final bow, it was an amazing night, and these lucky Dallas fans will talk about it for years to come.
See more photos from Wednesday's show:
The Suicide Machines were more punk than ska, but blended the two genres masterfully.
Andrew Sherman
