Chop Shop in Chicago played host to a dynamic trio of bands: Save Ferris, Keep Flying, and Bumsy and the Moochers. It was a fun night, with both the East and West Coasts and one of the Great Lakes areas represented. This was the first show I documented for 2025 (!!), and I could hardly ask for a better starter.
Save Ferris, out of Orange County, California, is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of its founding this year. The band is marking the occasion with new music and new videos including “Get Dancing” which premiered in late April.
Three decades on, and the group is as high-spirited as ever. The raucous set included the aforementioned “Get Dancing,” along with “Do I Even Like You?” “Superspy,” “New Sound,” and “Mistaken.” A terrific encore of two classic covers, The Dead Kennedy’s “Too Drunk To Fuck,” and “Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners closed out the night.
Save Ferris continues its North American tour through June. The band crosses the Pond to play dates in Europe starting in August.
Keep Flying, from New York, released its most recent album, Time & Tide, this year. Long Island’s John James Ryan Jr. was in perpetual motion, moving from his saxophone to vocals, jumping up and throwing up heart signs. His bandmates matched his energy in their own rights and together.
Keep Flying blasted through a set including “Stormchaser,” “Delusional,” “High Cholesterol,” “Death Is The End,” “Left Behind,” and “Miranda.”
The band is on tour through mid-June and then will be part of a couple of fall music festivals.
For those in the Chicago area who may have missed Keep Flying on this night, a second chance exists sooner rather than later. The band plays in support of Nerfherder at Reggie’s. I’d strongly advise you to check them out for the first time or second time. Or for those who have been to many Keep Flying shows, yet another time.
Witnessing Bumsy and the Moochers kick off this particular Saturday night, it is easy to understand why the band is one of the highly adored Midwest Ska crews. Led by the charismatic lead singer and guitar player Caitlin Edwards, the entire band has an infectious charm. It is a solid group of good friends having a party and inviting the crowd to join in.
And join in the crowd did as Bumsy and the Moochers ripped through a set including “Iowa,” “Not Gonna Have It,” “Police Trucks,” “Please Abduct Me,” and “Cathy Ann.”
I always look forward to documenting Bumsy and the Moochers and hope to do so again soon.
If you like having a good time and dancing alone to the music keep an eye out for shows with Save Ferris, Keep Flying, and Bumsy and the Moochers, whether they share the bills or not.
Cheers!
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