“OH YEAHHHHHH!” What better way was there to celebrate Labor Day weekend than with pizza, beer, and ska punk? If you were in Las Vegas this past weekend, then chances are you were celebrating at the 8th annual Summer of Ska, hosted by Good Girlfriend Records. This has been an annual event featuring ska from Las Vegas, SoCal, Texas, New Mexico, and more, all playing under some sort of variation of ska.
Summer of Ska is a grassroots music event that was started by Tommy Nicholson, owner of Good Girlfriend Records. Focusing on ska’s most championed trait of unity, for the past 8 years the Las Vegas event has brought in up-and-coming acts, returning legends, and an all-ages safe space for people of any race and queer identity.
From booking venues, to making sure each band was taken care of, it was made clear to me that Tommy had put a lot of work into this event. Plus, this year was expanded to a full-on tour, traveling to venues in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.
What I enjoyed about Summer of Ska was its catalog of bands. While under the same ska umbrella, each band brought their own styles and crossing of genres to make up a diverse sound of music. If you enjoy a blend of ska/rocksteady/reggae, then you’d have Raskahuele and Warsaw Poland Bros. If you like that 3rd wave pop punk feel, there was Chudson, Big Time!, and Swigfoot. For those who prefer a ghetto-style of ska, you’d have watched Undisputed World Champions, Los Ataskados, and Trinidad.
These were just a few of the bands present this weekend, but here’s 2 that REALLY stood out to me:
La Chapuza
La Chapuza are a ska punk band from El Paso, Texas. For almost 20 years, they have been one of the few ska acts of Texas that stand out for their incredible horn section.
I was able to witness them live for the first time this weekend, and it was hard to keep me still from their grounded rude tone style of ska. Their effortless back and forth playing from ska to reggae kept the people moving for each song. One song they played really stood out to me; I don’t remember the exact name but I believe it was called ‘Night of the Rocksteady’ (if anyone from La Chapuza is reading this, please let me know!).
The Odd Advantage
The best part of seeing The Odd Advantage is going with someone who’s seeing them live for the first time, because they’re in for something really special. Nicknamed “Kings of the Inland Empire Underground”, The Odd Advantage have become a must-see in Las Vegas. Their music sounds like any other ska punk band from SoCal, but their stage presence is like no other. Songs like “Skank Backwards” and “Fucked Up” have become popular songs of theirs to play, with neither on streaming platforms; so, you HAVE to see them live.
Summer of Ska continues to prove that the ska genre is more alive than ever. Not only that, it also showed that you don’t have to pay big money for the next big music festival to see your favorite music acts. While companies like Live Nation have mastered the art of exploitation, it’s refreshing to see promotions that genuinely care about people on both sides of the stage.
If you missed Summer of Ska VIII, then stay tuned for Summer of Ska VIX.