A Streak of Ska
Most of the year the amount of ska shows is not too concentrated. It usually lends to me making sure to support every ska show in hopes it will bring more. However, we had a strange week in July. There was a stretch of four ska shows in a five day span around Phoenix. That third show was the fun as hell bringing The Holophonics into town joined by Bowcat, Rundown Roommates, and Los Lerpes.
Kicking things off first was a three piece Los Lerpes. Down a man, we saw Pina move from his usual stringed instrument to drums for the set. It gave their sound a little more of a punk sound this night. Their songs tend to be a mix of 2 tone sounds, cumbia and fast paced ska punk.
Most of the lyrics are sung in Spanish. This would be where my high school Spanish education doesn’t quite cut it. I can pick up a few words, but instead I just let my feet dance to what it interprets. I keep enjoying each time I manage to catch Los Lerpes on another show.
After that was the one punk offering, Rundown Roommates. Here is a band that is back performing more frequently after a little break for recording. Getting to see them more frequently is a treat. There is an excellent energy to these guys on a stage. Tyler is superb at engaging with an audience for singing and moving around. There is a positive energy that comes from their performances.
This set included Kyle, after a little bit of a nudging to do it, jumping up to sing a song he wrote. Plus it is great to see Freddy drumming regularly. The first couple times I caught this band I found more often his brother on drums behind them. It is always a pleasure to see Rundown Roommates, and I can’t wait to hear the new album.
Then it was the Holophonics out of Denton, Texas. Well, mostly out of Denton. This stop in Phoenix had a surprise at bass. Austin, from Be Like Max, had joined them in Las Vegas for the last leg of the tour. He blended right in as this is a band full of energy in their songs. The energy lends more to a 3rd Wave Ska sound, although with a couple songs closer to 2 Tone.
Eric with the superb voice up there was only reinforced by the excellent harmonies and horns behind him. Much of their set consisted of their awesome and latest album, Phantom Arrival. The Holophonics are a band that as I watched I wondered how I had not seen them sooner. On the upside, I now know to be on the lookout for them whenever in town.
Bowcat would take up the honors of wrapping up this Sunday night show. In the time since I last wrote about them on here, a couple things of note. For one, Katie is getting more singing up there. This includes a song where Steven takes over on keys, and she jumps on a second microphone to sing with Marcia.
The other cool thing is that they are writing new music. You will catch one or two during one of their sets lately. With that, we closed on the 2 tone sound I love from Bowcat. At least for a couple hours, I forgot it was a Sunday.
