It Gets Worse, But Not This Night!
Tonight was one of those nights where the magic of social media helps you discover a band somewhere else in the country, and when they finally come to your home city you make sure to go see them play. It Gets Worse is that band for me on this Tuesday night. They originally followed me over a year ago on Instagram, and I looked into who they were and some of their music to end up following back.
The night started locally with the guys in Mr. Incommunicado. The first time I caught these guys they were a three piece, but they have grown since then. Now they have five including Aaron, whom I know more from Liam and the Ladies. Mr. Incommunicado pulled out an instrument that I’ve never seen grace the stage of a Ska show, the bass clarinet. They are a smoother Ska experience that is excellent every time.
The show got a little flipped around, as our band from Seattle, It Gets Worse, went next. These guys were the Ska Punk of the night. They did have a broken string, about a song in, but that was it for issues through their set. It Gets Worse loves to move around. It was apparent watching their brass section and singer, Chelsea, dance around the stage and Yucca. For once, Dane, from Bowcat, wasn’t the only musician moving around the venue during their set with the It Gets Worse brass section doing the same tonight.
Talking to James, their bassist, he is among three originals that started the band in Wyoming and moved it to Seattle for the form it is now. They were short two saxophonists on this tour due to various reasons, so it wasn’t the full band this night. It Gets Worse has great influences including Aquabats and Reel Big Fish, which you can hear some of it in the story telling of The Iron Lung they performed and all the on stage dancing around. An energy filled set in the middle of this Tuesday.
Last was the band Bowcat that in the year since they played their first show, have become one of the best Ska bands in Phoenix. Following up their performance opening up for Bad Cop/Bad Cop and Interrupters, it is apparent they are playing tighter and sounding better than a year ago. Their set includes a good mix of slower and faster songs now, and a newer, unique Transplants cover. This band is full of the largest Ska fans I know. Their song writing and performance of the genre is baring great fruit after that first year. These guys and gals deserve to be opening up any Ska show here in Phoenix into the New Year.
