words + photos by Erik Casarez
Third-wave ska will never recover from the “what plays in a 13-year-old kid’s head when he gets extra mozzarella sticks” meme allegations. While the meme itself has probably grown tired for many ska bands, there is an endearing charm to being associated with an earnest feeling of wholesome joy. Especially considering that the preceding waves come from a political ideology of communities coming together to fight for the working class and against racism. Much like the checkerboard pattern that symbolized the unity between white and black people coming together, Less Than Jake has been a throughline between the early and newer waves. The lineup for the Less Than Jake Circus Tour celebrates multiple eras of ska by featuring 4th wavers Catbite, late 90s contemporaries The Suicide Machines, and ska punk legends Fishbone. The tour made a stop in Austin this past Monday night, August 11.
In what felt like a throwback to the early 2000s, they managed to fit all four bands in the span of five hours with limited breaks in between. Catbite started off the show strong with a youthful energy and exuberance that really got the crowd going, even as more people filtered in. The band has been together for nearly a decade, which, while quite an accomplishment for any band, pales in comparison to the almost century of experience between the other three bands. Yet they held their own and were quite the spark for the opening of a four-band show on a school night.
The Suicide Machines
The Suicide Machines came up next and brought the edge and intensity of a band that leans more punk than ska. They catered more towards the songs off their debut album, Destruction by Definition, so named because they didn’t want to be defined as just a ska band. The album turns 30 next year, but still feels fresh as ever through songs that were prominent during 90s skate sessions and one in particular from the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game.
Fishbone
Fishbone came on shortly after and showed why they have been a driving force in ska punk since the 80s. Fishbone is a band that is defined by their live show. There are types of things that just can’t be replicated on an album, no matter how good it may sound. This was something that people always told me, but I never truly understood, as I never had the chance to see them until now. Within 30 seconds, it all just made so much sense. Their live show feels like a sermon as much as it feels like a party that makes you want to lose all function in your body and dance along. They brought on members of Catbite to play a couple of their songs, including one that almost got Questlove fired from The Tonight Show for playing it to introduce a certain politician nearly 15 years ago.
Fishbone feat. Brittany Luna from Catbite
Less Than Jake
The stage was set for Less Than Jake. The band truly felt like a uniting force for all of the bands that played this evening. It’s really difficult to say anything about the band that hasn’t been said already. They embody the wackiness of 90s era of ska through their music and their demeanor – never taking anything too seriously while still crafting a technically solid performance. The principles of ska are still ingrained in them as well. I saw Less Than Jake for the first time at Warped Tour 2000, and instantly became more of a fan than I already was. Twenty-five years later, they were tighter than ever and brought the same amount of joy I experienced as a 12-year-old in the pit, grasping on to the merch I bought as the current of the crowd swayed me all around, experiencing the sensation of Auditory Cheesesticks.
Less Than Jake