The weather outside Reggie’s Rock Club in Chicago was mild, but the Ska inside was hot. Hot Stove Jimmy, The Crombies, Run and Punch, and Burn Rebuild put on an all-Chicago bonanza.
Hot Stove Jimmy celebrated the 30th Anniversary of its album Salute. The Chicago Ska Revival band was formed in 1994. On this evening, the headliners brought sizzling bombast and a cacophony of sounds in the very best way. Three decades plus on, the band, through numerous line-up changes, the band was also able to bring out the fun, with each member displaying their own kind of energy.
Jamming through the songs from Salute, it was obvious the fans in this crowd had long been thirsting for the band’s return.
The Crombies is a beloved Windy City crew that plays regularly around the city, with occasional forays across this continent and others.
Tight as always, the band is a blast to watch, with members spinning, jumping, and getting down onto the rock club’s floor with the mic, inviting fans and the many close friends in the crowd to join in the singing.
Get to one of the band’s next shows stat!
Run and Punch punched through tune after tune. The band’s self-description of “Our songs feel like a house party with your favorite people: loud, loose, and sometimes a little too honest” is spot on. Run and Punch’s joy is infectious, but in this case alone, you don’t want a vaccination against it.
Burn Rebuild blazed through its set list as the kick-off band. They grabbed the crowd from the first note and did not let go. That is not always easy work to do for an opening band. But as with its fellow Chicagoans on the bill, a substantial history assured Burn Rebuild would have no issue builfding the tempo for the evening.
More images of Hot Stove Jimmy; The Crombies; Run and Punch; and Burn Rebuild on Instagram.
Once again. Reggies hosted a terrific evening of ska, two-tone, and punk with some of Chicago’s hometown favorites. Good job guys!