Page 49 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 99

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LESS THAN JAKE / REEL BIG FISH / ZEBRAHEAD / SUBURBAN LEGENDS – BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY, 11.11.18
Some bands fit together like bread and butter, cup and saucer, salt and pepper… Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish are like brothers to each
other, playing different styles of music, but close enough to share similar fans and make a great tour package. Zebrahead and Suburban Legends,
meanwhile, complete the bundle. There’s a common theme between the four bands and that is fun.
Maybe it’s the fact that all four bands come from sunny coastal states that makes them all so laid back and entertaining. Suburban Legends from
Huntington Beach, California, are first up and songs such as ‘Just Be Happy’ make the crowd so. While the band, who have had many line-up changes
over the years, announced that their 2016 tour would be their ‘last tour ever’, we’re glad to see that they decided to get on board for this tour as they
are a delight to see. With their own songs such as ‘High Fives’ and covers such as ‘You’ve Got A Friend In Me’ by Randy Newman plus occasional
synchronized dance moves, they appeal to both young and old. High fives to these guys.
Zebrahead, also from California, Orange County to be exact, are next on and bring with them three men dressed as beer. They also get a member
of the audience to go on stage for a drinking contest while vocalist Matty Lewis sings ‘Drink Drink Pt. 1’. They get the crowd to do the obligatory crouch
down then jump up, and ‘which side is louder?’ and, while Less Than Jake have a song called ‘All My Best Friends Are Metalheads’, Zebrahead have
one called ‘All My Friends Are Nobodies’. They give us good news in the form of how they’ve been locked in a cellar and have finished a new album
and tell the crowd there’s someone there from the Guinness Book of World Records so they want the biggest circlepit. While their party games aren’t
exactly new, you know what to expect and always have a good time. Oh, and songs like ‘Rescue Me’ and ‘Hello Tomorrow’ still sound awesome. Even
the teetotalers in the house enjoy them.
While Billy, Johnny and Matt of Reel Big
Fish joined Zebrahead for the final number
of their set, ‘Anthem’, it’s now time for the
whole of Reel Big Fish to grace the stage.
Being that it’s a co-headlining tour, they get
an hour, the same as Less Than Jake.
Opening with a cover of A-ha’s ‘Take On Me’
is the quickest way to the hearts of the
crowd. You know they are going to entertain.
These guys (also from Orange County)
make the best party band with a horn sec-
tion of saxophone, trumpet and trombone,
as well as guitar, bass and drums. With their
mic stands all lined up in a row, they are part
cabaret, part ska punk. They joke in be-
tween songs, while showing their profi-
ciency at their instruments. The crowd
particularly love their take on the Van Morri-
son classic ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, while their
own tunes ‘She Has A Girlfriend Now’ and
‘Sell Out’ tick all the right boxes. Ending with
‘Beer’ (no surprise there), which includes an
insert of Offspring’s ‘Self Esteem’, is the per-
fect handover song through which to pass
the punk rock baton to Less Than Jake.
DJ Matt Stocks introduces Gainsville,
Florida’s very own Less Than Jake – and
opening with ‘Gainsville Rock City’ immedi-
ately puts smiles on faces. With a new
drummer in the form of Matt Yonker, the
five-piece band are the ultimate in sing-
along, ska-infused punk rock. Racing beats,
melodic vocals and an action-packed stage
presence, which sees trombonist Buddy
Schaub in particular visiting all corners of
the stage, makes for a fab show. They get
audience members on stage, including Dan,
who is so much fun that JR says they’re
going to take him on tour, while a crew
member dressed as a comical character
sprays toilet roll out of a toilet roll gun into
the audience. Joking with the audience,
Chris gets an audience member to give him
his ‘douche flute’ (his name for a vape pen!),
while songs such as ‘Suburban Myth’ and
‘Look What Happened’ are punk rock an-
thems, and newer song, ‘Bomb Drop’ is an-
other vibrant, fun-filled gem. No matter how
many times you see Less Than Jake you
never get bored as they are always enter-
taining and always put on a great show.
Wrapping things up with ‘All My Best
Friends Are Metalheads’ ends the show on
a high. And while Vinnie may not be in the
band, we’re so glad that Chris, Roger,
Buddy and JR still are, and hope they con-
tinue to be for many years to come.

YYYYY
Shari Black Velvet
Chris Demakes (Less Than Jake) Photo By Shari Black
Velvet

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