LESS THAN JAKE / REEL BIG FISH / ZEBRAHEAD | LIVE REVIEW
Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Sat 1 Feb
Tonight’s triple-headed American ska punk gig begins with Zebrahead, a Californian five-piece who combine double-guitar energy with powerful rhythmic rapping from their frontman. Hip-hop and punk aren’t obvious allies, but this band manages to fuse the two seamlessly into its happy-go-lucky sound. Between crowd pleasers like Postcards From Hell and Hello Tomorrow, roadies are called on-stage for spontaneous drinking contests, getting less-than-sober punters psyched up for a frat party to remember.
Things really kick off when Reel Big Fish arrive. Having been at it for more than 23 years, singer and lead guitarist Aaron Barrett sounds remarkably fresh as he launches into the title track from debut album Everything Sucks. It’s a testament to his band’s persistence, good humour and showmanship that the best half of the audience devotedly skanks along until the finale: a triumphant, horn-laden cover of A-Ha’s Take On Me.
Headliners Less Than Jake are the other veterans of this nostalgic 90s genre. While it lacks the impressive behind-the-head guitar shreddery that RBF’s boasted, their set is the most varied of the night; it hops unabashedly between brassy, head-bobbing reggae (The Science Of Selling Yourself Short) and circle-pit inducing punk rock (Last One Out Of Liberty City).
All three of these bands successfully escaped the oft-outlandish concepts of today’s music industry, choosing vibrant party sounds over postmodern warbling and providing the SU with a perfect Saturday night soundtrack.
words MATT AYRES