Snoop Dogg @ the Catalyst 11/17/09

One could say that opening act "Hustle Boys" provided a fantastic performance... if we were speaking in terms of comedy.  Two men with baggy clothes and shiny bling busted on stage and did their darndest to get everyone hyped up and ready for the legendary Snoop Dogg, but for the life of me, all I could do was laugh.  Like a child trying to imitate their father, the Hustle Boys tried to re-create the success of previous hip-hop shows.  "Get your hands in the air," they beckoned as most folks stood, continued to sip their gin and juice, and chat with their buddies.  Just to make sure you knew that they were gangsters, the Hustle Boys employed the use of towels on stage, swinging them about with glee. 

"Before Snoop comes on, he wants to share something with you..." we read in anticipation on a big-screen behind the stage.  A video montage of Snoop in scenes from classic movies brought much amusement.  There was Up In Snoop, Snoopula, Snoop Brothers, Snoop the 13th, and a Snoop Dogg version of Being John Malkovich. 

The lights were low and the room was full of excitement as Snoop came out singing the classic "Smoke Weed Everyday".  Thunderous approval and puffs of smoke filled the sold-out venue, and the next song was another favorite, "P.I.M.P."  He performed with a full band, complete with a low-rider-bike-turned-drumset, as well as a bodyguard on each side of the stage.  His microphone was pimped out too-- diamonds spelled out his name and glistened in the light. 

A battle between the "eastside" and "westside" of the crowd ensued upon Snoop's direction, each side attempting to shout "EY!" louder than the other.  He played a few new songs such as "Gangsta Luv," but mainly stuck to classics such as "Who Am I (What's My Name?)", "Gin and Juice," and "Drop It Like It's Hot" to the delight of everyone.  A lot of musicians who've been performing for as long as Snoop has play their hits grudgingly, but Snoop put his all into the crowd favorites without even a hint of disdain. 

Everyone on stage ducked for cover as a soundbit of the Santa Cruz police boomed on the speakers.  "If you don't give a fuck like I don't, get your asses up!" yelled Snoop, and the crowd erupted to "Jump Around."  The night wound down, but the energy was just as high as he finished with another pun, singing an altered version of Steam's song, "Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Snoop Dogg!"  With a flash of the peace sign and a reminder to "smoke weed motha fuckas!" he was gone, leaving us with only the memory of the greatest night of our lives.

See more of my photos from that night and other gigs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/melissarachelblack/sets/72157621887663417/

Mickey Avalon @ the Catalyst 11/6/09

I had a naked moment with Mickey Avalon. Gearing up for his tour to promote his sophomore album to be released this February, Mickey Avalon scheduled a phone interview to promote his show at The Catalyst this Friday.
“Can I call you back in three minutes?” he asked. “I just got out of the shower and got to put some clothes on.” Five minutes later, Mickey Avalon called back.
“You got some clothes on now?” I asked.
“A robe,” he said. “Good enough.”

He immediately set in to rambling about his room at the Red Rocks Casino Resort & Spa in Las Vegas.
“It’s like a club,” he sais, going on to describe the view of Sin City from his suite, which was outfitted with a grand chandelier, multiple flat screen TVs, two turntable booths, a stand up shower, several jacuzzis and a “crazy round bed with a disco ball mirror thing” hanging over it — fitting for Mr. Avalon, who is often described as a “glam rapper.”
The man comes with a story that supersedes his music, about how he grew up in Hollywood, sold pot with his mom at the age of 14 and eventually worked as a male prostitute to support his heroin addiction.
Avalon’s new identity as a musician began when he met Simon Rex (aka Dirt Nasty), the former MTV VJ, now rapper, who got him in the recording studio, as well as clubs with Hollywood’s rich and famous.
In 2006, Avalon rose to fame with his self-titled debut album which detailed his life journey and L.A. lifestyle, with it’s silicone, sex, drugs and of course, rock and roll.
Mickey Avalon spoke with City on a Hill Press about his views on Hollywood and hippies, false Wikipedia entries and the dirt on his falling out with Dirt Nasty.

CHP: I read the LA Weekly piece on what was essentially your life story. I’m sure you get a lot of questions about your past prostitution, drug use and family history. How does it feel to be so explicit about your life? Does it get old?
When we did the piece years ago, I wasn’t really thinking about hiding anything. I kind of said everything.
It feels like a different lifetime—not that its not relevant anymore, I don’t necessarily revisit those times in my mind. When they wrote all that stuff, I was still in the middle of it and was poking fun of it. I liked a lot of that stuff I was writing about.
It’s a little trickier now that I have success. People might misunderstand the jokes.
CHP: Most of your songs have to deal with a certain Southern California lifestyle. For example, “So Rich, So Pretty” talks about girls who obtain beauty through designer clothing, plastic surgeries and eating disorders. What do you think about the Northern California? What would you write about?
Being that I live in SoCal, I just kind of wrote was around me. People are a lot the same around, but then there are differences. Northern California is more hippie. I say that in a good way. I don’t think hippie is a bad word. It’s not as plastic.
People are still funny no matter what. I moved to Portland awhile ago. I got married and had a kid. I wanted to leave all the stuff I talk about in my songs. I wanted to raise my kids in a good area without that bullshit.
I was shopping at the health food store and had to get food for the kid and thought that the hippies loved everybody and were open-minded. They had like dreadlocks and tie dye and Birkenstocks. I thought that was uniform for loving everybody and being open.
However, they were really into everyone that looked like them. They didn’t treat me really nice and it felt like L.A. in a way. I thought I left this materialist shit, these people were still were like, “My club is better than your club.” I had a shaved head. Since I didn’t have dreadlocks and Birkenstocks I didn’t really fit in.
CHP: Speaking of L.A. culture, what do you like most about it?
Most is the weather and being by the ocean. Go somewhere where you like the weather.
CHP: Least?
Everyone’s into their career. If you met someone, rather than “How are you, what’s your deal?”, they would ask “What do you do?” Everyone’s so driven. Rather than going to parties and having fun they’re to trying to network and be ahead.
Where I live, it’s not easier because people are full of shit. It’s so hard to find people that aren’t.
CHP: According to Wikipedia, you attended Webster University in St. Louis before you signed with Interscope Records.
That’s the only thing that’s not true. I’ve been to St. Louis one time and I didn’t go to college.
I did a brief stint at a community college in Portland. I got some little loans to pay for the classes. I took some art classes and a few writing classes. I actually became a writing tutor and got paid. At the time, the most I’d gotten paid was minimum wage—five to six bucks. They paid me nine bucks.
I dig school. Some people are really anti-school. If you have the means to do it, do it. I didn’t—I was already married and had a kid.
CHP: I read you used to be apart of a well-known graffiti crew in Hollywood. What kind of art you doing now?
I did [art] when I was younger. I will [again] when the time’s right, when I have a nice collection of paintings that won’t be connected to Mickey Avalon. I do oil paints, paint figures and stuff.
Take for example Marilyn Manson. He’s a painter and does cool watercolors. But then people might want to go because of Marilyn Manson. I’ll rather them like the art and find out later that it was me.
My favorite living painter is a guy named David Choe. I went to school with him. I didn’t even know he was artist. He is the sickest painter. He does paintings on campus and painting outside. Graffiti, but not pieces with letters. He does the crazy figures and scenes and shit.
CHP: You were in a rap group called Dyslexic Speedreaders along with Dirt Nasty, Andre Legacy and Beardo. In a Myspace blog entry posted August 16th, you wrote that the Dylexic Speedreaders were “finito.” What happened?
Unfortunately, things happen that you hear happen to people but you don’t think will happen to you. Bands break up and hate each other. We thought that it wouldn’t happen to us because we’re boring.
Soon things got in the way. Money stuff. We were best friends. I had a manager, then we all had him, then I left him, then they stayed with him. That would’ve been fine, but things got worse and worse. Not only did they not help me out with that situation, they got in the other side and screwed me.
I still have to send money to my old manager, shit they could’ve helped me get out of but didn’t. Our first few tours ended costing me a ton. I come back in the negative and my manager paid them also. They came home with a certain amount of money and I came home with negative $50,000. Everyone got their commission except me, so I got deeper and deeper in a hole.
It got to the point where we couldn’t really talk.
CHP: You and Simon Rex (Dirt Nasty) aren’t friends anymore?
No, we’re not anymore. Or Andre Legacy. But Beardo’s on tour with us. He’s the only one I’m friends with.
CHP: Tell me about your new record. How’s that coming along? How is it different than your first?
The only difference is on my first record I hadn’t played any shows. I wrote from my head whereas now I still work in my head, but say for a chorus, I think about some things work better live. As far as the chorus, I think more of the audience and what they would take to better.
CHP: I first heard your music when I was cleaning some dude’s apartment in exchange for weed my freshman year of college. He was playing “Jane Fonda.” Under what circumstances do people usually play your music?
Sex, drugs and rock and roll. People said they get laid to my music. Boys and girls—people say they get lucky at my shows. Even if they don’t dig what I’m doing, they can pick somebody up.
Strip clubs play my songs a lot. People said they’ve worked out to it, appropriate for a song like “Jane Fonda.” That’s about everything—expect sleeping.


Words by Valerie Luu.
Photography by Melissa Rachel Black

Matisyahu @ The Catalyst 10/20/09

Heavyweight Dub Champion started off the evening without any introduction.  Rather, the founder of the band, Grant McDonald Chambers who goes by “Resurrector”, showed up in a white wife-beater, touting the longest dreads you’ve ever seen and began slaving away at what appeared to be a synthesizer, drum machine, and sampler.  He literally almost blasted the audience away with booming rap and dub beats.  The young crowd was a bit unprepared for the loud, trance-like reggae vocals and underground dancehall which vibrated the walls, and most folks stood still in awe.

The Catalyst was packed to the brim by the time Matisyahu took the spotlight, and he opened with “Jerusalem” to roars of approval.  With his Peyos (curly sideburns), kipah (head covering), Tzitzis (tassles), and long straggly beard, Matisyahu looked like many other Orthodox Jews.  However, unlike most, Matisyahu is a pioneer of Jewish reggae, which he infuses masterfully with rock and hip hop. 

On stage, Matisyahu was extremely relaxed, creating a very easygoing and unpretentious atmosphere.  Guitarist Dave Holmes executed an epic solo while Matisyahu did the most adorable jig that can best be described as “the happy dance,” in which he hopped around and swayed his arms.    They played older material such as “We Will Walk”, and “Time of Your Song” as well as gems such as “One Day” from the new album Festival Light.  A rendition of the top 40 hit “King Without A Crown” was uproariously received, at which point a friend of his came and joined in on the happy dance.  Matisyahu also busted out astonishing beat boxing skills, and surprised the audience when he altered his reggae vocals to a deep accent-less rap voice. 

My favourite part of the evening was when Matisyahu’s kipah slipped while doing his jig and he had to take a short break from busting a groove to adjust it.   Not only are his lyrics inspiring, and his talent unbeatable, he’s just plain adorable.

Treasure Island Music Festival 2009

Everybody always asks, “what’s your favourite?” and “what’s the best?” so I figured: what better way to describe this year’s Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco than a superlative awards ceremony?  The two-day extravaganza was intense, wonderful, exhausting,  beautiful, warm, cold, and everything in between.  It featured a 30-foot live mural wall by Pacific Art Collective, carnival entertainment by The Gnogiurzauchshoff Brothers Traveling Widway of Curiosities and Delights, a pay-as-you-go poet, huge pink inflatable chairs called "Bushwaffles", and other endless sensory explosions.  The main event, however, was the music, so without further ado, the awards go to…

MOST IMPROVED: Passion Pit

The five college buds from Cambridge, Massachusetts just recently released their first full-length album Manners this spring, but they’ve been steadily gaining notoriety since 2007.  As a new band, they’ve had some kinks to work out, but unlike previous gigs, Saturday’s show went off gloriously.  I saw Passion Pit perform in February in Leeds, and although their talent was apparent, their performance was marred with technical difficulties and frustrations.  This time, thousands basked in the afternoon sunshine overlooking San Francisco’s pristine coastal skyline from the man-made Treasure Island, while simultaneously soaking in lead singer Michael Angelakos’ dreamy robot-angel voice harmonizing with the band’s signature buzzworthy-beats and electronic pop melodies.  The temperature and mood rose steadily as the crowd sang along to “Little Secret”, chanting “higher and higher and higher”, and many attendees did just that.

MOST FUN: Dan Deacon

Known for his dedication to small, intimate shows, it was unclear how the Baltimore native would handle an audience of this grandeur.  Deacon knocked it out of the park with his crazy electronic vocals, fifteen-man band, and off-the-wall energy.  Normally, Dan plays solo, but he managed to turn his menagerie of musicians into a well-organized choir as he quite literally conducted an orchestra.  In addition to dance-till-you-drop video-game beats that our parents would never understand, he was able to organize a dance contest (the number one rule: it had to be “Sassy as fuck the whole time!”), spread the sea of onlookers to surround one leader for a massive game of Simon Says, and create an absolutely brilliant several-hundred-foot-long round of London Bridge.  Recess and kickball, anyone?

MOST OBNOXIOUS: The Streets

Most Americans love a good English accent no matter what words accompany it, but Birmingham-born frontman Michael Skinner managed to crush all good feelings with his obscene performance.  Songs such as “Dry Your Eyes” were tedious, slow and boring, and even though they were out of place amongst a lineup full of indie and electropop, they would possibly have been bearable if Skinner hadn’t stopped all the time to make nonsensical and inappropriate comments about how everyone should be naked and how his bandmate was going to have sex later.  At one unbearably awkward moment, he had audience members turn to a stranger and say, “I love you.”  Gag me.

MOST FREAKY: Brazilian Girls

The music took the backseat at this show, as frontlady and lead vocalist Sabina Sciubba literally strutted her stuff.  Dressed in skintight black lace from eye to toe, little was left to the imagination.  She also donned a huge padded red heart with an armhole over her chest and a little heart tail that she retained throughout their fifty minute set, despite the obvious physical hindrance.  Continuing merrily along in their "weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird" method, the Brazilian Girls shocked the fifteen-year-olds and mildly surprised the rest of us with repetitive lyrics like "Pussy Pussy Pussy Marijuana".  After the initial stupor wore off, listeners enjoyed both a chilled-out vibe, internationally inspired by the likes of dubstep and reggae, as well as an awe-inspiring cant-stop-won't-stop hyperactive solo by keyboardist Didi Gutman.

MOST EPIC: MSTRKRFT

Canadian duo AI-P and Jesse F. Keeler are certainly masters of their musical craft.  High expectations surrounded their performance, but they were met and exceeded as the day faded into darkness and thousands melded into a sea of rhythmically pulsing human waves.  "I hope you like house music 'cause we're gonna play some fucking house music," they chimed.  The pair saturated our ears with pounding beats, plateaus, and intense releases, making it impossible not to dance harder than ever.  Most notable renditions include the remix of John Legend's "Heartbreaker", a long snippet of Queen's supreme hit "Bohemian Rhapsody", and an all-consuming execution of Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction" which boasted the most exaggerated, unanticipated buildup and then sweet, heavenly, orgasmic release in quite possibly the history of house music.  Satisfying indeed.

MOST DISAPPOINTING: Girl Talk

Arguably one of the most anticipated, the Pittsburgh native mashup superstar let us down.  Perhaps it was the misfortune of playing directly after MSTRKRFT, or perchance it was performing on the more modest Tunnel Stage rather than the Bridge Stage, or maybe he just wasn't on top of his game.  Whatever the reason may be, Girl Talk's set did not live up to his performance at previous shows.  He chose to play slower mashups this time, and while the inclusion of a Black Sabbath song was impressive, most people were in the mood to dance and were unable to do so.  Additionally, the sound level was  too quiet for comfort, and although the lucky few dancing on stage seemed to be having a party, folks who were positioned ten feet or more from the stage were excluded from the festivities.

MOST ANTICIPATED: MGMT

Day one ended smoothly with a stellar set by MGMT, which surprised many who doubted their live abilities.  Original members Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, who met at college in Connecticut in 2002, integrated with a full a band swimmingly and informed us that because this would be their last show for a while, they'd be playing the entirety of their wildly popular Oracular Spectacular.  This news was met with a wave of energy and a buzz of excitement, and they boys stunned us all with a truly organic and raw version of their 2005 album.  The cherry on top of the sundae was an intense guitar solo during "Electric Feel" and the crowd melded together to sing and sway along to the magical mystical melodies of the band who is shaping up to musically personify our generation.

MOST UNDERRATED: Grizzly Bear

I didn't know or care who Grizzly Bear was before, but I definitely do now.   Harmonic dream-like melodies produced with harps, infused with booming pulses that traverse your body and transport you into the future lifted me off my bum and towards the stage like a moth to a flame.  Day two was brutally cold, but the honeyed voices of these four angels warmed our souls and invited us to partake in what can only be described as musical heaven.  Some of the vocals reminded me of Devendra Banhart's, but the vibe was a lot less pretentious.  Like a creepy choir, we sang along to "Lullabye," chanting "chin up, cheer up, chin up, cheer up" to a strange atmospheric lullaby as the title suggested.

MOST MAGICAL: Beirut

From the moment I heard Beirut's Gulag Orkestar two years ago, I knew it was love.  Strangely enough, though, I had never sought out images of the band or frontman Zach Condon, so when the 23-year-old American appeared on stage, I was surprised to find that he was not actually a god, but in fact, a mere man.  His form may have been that of a mortal, but the tunes were like sweet ambrosia.  The set began with "Nantes" and we all swooned as Condon's rich, forlorn voice carried over their signature French-inspired horns and folk-gypsy accordion.  We were treated to favorites such as "A Sunday Smile" as well as new material from March of the Zapotec which was made in and inspired by a trip to Oaxaca.  All of their songs seem to be about smiling, and there was no shortage of those during this set.

MOST MESMERIZING: Yo La Tengo

As the sun set on day two, Yo La Tengo graced the stage and induced quite a trance with their undulating rock melodies.  The whole set blurred together to form what seemed like one immense experimental pop-rock adventure, that fit the mood perfectly.  To the left of the stage, the fifty-foot ferris wheel oscillated and emitted color patterns guaranteed to entertain the sober and intoxicated alike.  Skyward, gulls danced overhead and the combination of trippy visuals and sound made for a unique sensory experience.

MOST INSPIRING VISUALS: Decemberists

I was never a huge fan of frontman Colin Meloy's whiny high-pitched voice, but the Decemberists startled me with their performance Sunday night.  They played songs from their fifth and most recent album Hazards of Love, which features a lot less of Meloy's unsavory vocals and a lot more surreal experimentation, including female vocals inspired by classic rock goddesses such as Janis Joplin.  Just as impressive as their sound this evening were the visuals that accompanied their presence on the huge screen behind them, including beautiful slow motion videos of underwater organisms spewing matter, exploding mushrooms, strange flower growths, and adorable dancing raccoons.

MOST OVER-THE-TOP: Flaming Lips

After a complete rearrangement of the stage that took 45 minutes, the Flaming Lips were ready to burst on stage, and burst they did.  Literally.  They descended individually through doors in the middle of the jumbotron, amidst smoke and flashy lights in a fashion solely reserved for the most revered rock stars.  Every person in attendance was up on the lawn for the grand finale, so if you were one of the lucky select who could see the stage, you were saturated by at least a dozen massive bursts of confetti, people in panda costumes on stage, and an extreme closeup of frontman Wayne Coyne's nose and eyes throughout the set.  There were 8 foot balloons that spewed confetti once popped and a song dedication to Obama.  After more than an hour of pure glory, the band was running out of time and so rushed off stage to "give us the illusion of an encore," which featured the most extended and epic version of "Do You Realize" in existence.  Bravo.

Sugar Ray @ The Catalyst 9/16/09

Mark McGrath takes center stage.

SANTA CRUZ - Arriving before the main event at a live gig is always a gamble. Apparently everyone decided to play it safe and wait to show up until Sugar Ray was on stage, because opening act Aimee Allen sang to a crowd you could count on two hands. Her lonely soulful voice was as sad as her numerous pleas for bar patrons to stand up and move closer. But, try as she might, she could not guilt us all into scooting forward. Decked out in a plaid shirt and studded belt, her slightly ska sound inspired one viewer to draw a comparison to Gwen Stefani. Her voice carried well over accompanying acoustic guitar, and the reggae and dubstep influences would have been well-received had their been more than 8 people present. Perhaps her single in the newly released horror film “Sorority Row” will bring her the spotlight she so desperately desires.

By the time Huntington Beach’s quartet the Dirty Heads made their way on stage, there were finally enough people present to call it a show instead of a band practice. Crowd-goers bobbed and swayed to an infusion of reggae, hip-hop,and Sublime-inspired ska punk. For a while, I was convinced that the band’s lead vocalist, Jared Watson, was actually “Jay” of “Jay and Silent Bob”, and while he did give off the same stoner vibe, there was no man-gina display; only organically rhythmic beats with that familiar laid-back So Cal surfer ambiance.

When Sugar Ray took the spotlight everybody was ready to dance, and Mark McGrath blasted onto the scene in classic black wayfarers and a swagger that let you know you were in for a real spectacle. “It feels like its time for a No. 1 song from 1999!” he shouted before busting out the catchy pop tune ‘Every Morning’ – the collective earworm for the better end of the millennia.

McGrath, at 41, is as sexy as ever, exclaming that he “even got [his] hair highlighted again!” for the tour – one which he obviously knows isn’t going to be on the cover of Rolling Stone again. There’s something to be said about not taking yourself seriously, and Sugar Ray knows this: their newly released album is called Music for Cougars. It’s been 21 years since the band formed and McGrath is still joking; in an interview with Rolling Stone by Steven Appleford, he says, “We're certainly not the most talented guys, and I can barely sing, but how about two thumbs up for just having fun?”

Indeed, it was less about high-quality tunes and more about entertainment, something McGrath knows a lot about after hosting Extra for 4 years.

The crowd this evening was a glorious mix of old and young, and as always, the Catalyst provided the perfect setting for a show.  Small enough to provide a sense of intimacy with the artist, big enough to allow ample space for dancing, and the option to sit or stand made for an ideal situation.  The stage is so close you could literally touch Mark as he belted out his catchy pop tunes.



Turntablist Craig "DJ Homicide" Bullock treated us to ridiculous classic fist-clinchers such as Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” to fill gaps between songs; a tried-and-true method for heightening the intensity level of any average evening thanks to top-of-your-lungs scream-alongs and drunken camaraderie that simply cannot be beat.

Highlights of the evening include seeing Mark’s softer side with a tender performance of “When Its Over,” which he wrote after his first broken heart at age 21, a few crotch grabs inspired by the late great King of Pop, a freestyle karaoke battle between fans which may or may not result in some new record deals for one talented party, and, most memorably, a cover of Kid Cudi’s “Day and Night”. A memorable night and an homage to the nineties, the finale was an extended version of the hit “Fly”, and the only thing that topped that was UCSC student Bryan Strauss’s belly, which read “Do Me Mark!”





Publication on UCSC's City On A Hill Press website pending editorial approval.

Reel Big Fish @ The Catalyst 9/13/09

MORE COWBELL.

That’s what the audience got as Las Vegas’ seven-man alternative/reggae band One Pin Short started off the evening at the Catalyst on September 13. They put on quite a show for a modest crowd, including not only plenty of cowbell, but also a daring spectacular by guitarist Jesse Magaña, who climbed atop the second tier patio to strum a solo. The band provided a surprisingly harmonious sound for the sheer number of members in it, and managed to get the sparse crowd clapping along to their punk/ska/rock melodies about peace and revolution.

Orange County natives Suburban Legends then graced the stage, and, as always, the crowd was temporarily stunned by what can best be described as a first grade sing-along and boy band infusion. Though their style may be childish, they are undoubtedly professionals. With choreographed moves you haven’t seen since the likes of N’sync and a level of energy normally only attainable by chugging 12 consecutive cans of Redbull, these boys really know how to work a crowd.

Drummer Derek Lee stopped to chat with City On A Hill Press before the show, and mentioned with much sadness that tonight was the last leg of the tour, which had made its way across the U.S. and Europe. They went all out for their last show, playing classics from their impressive 11-year-span that only the two fourteen-year-old girls in “Suburban Legends” t-shirts recognized, as well as an extremely well-received ska rendition of Little Mermaid’s ‘Under The Sea’. Though its safe to say that many members of the eclectic crowd there wouldn’t jam out to a Suburban Legends album alone at home, there was not a single soul who could help but chuckle and groove with the boys as they goofed around on stage. The younger and rowdier attendees even started a mosh-pit while the horns sounded and the rainbow lights flashed.

Reel Big Fish finally burst on stage after a bit of a lull, and they got the crowd going straight away with a spunky fast-paced version of Aha’s ‘Take On Me’. The crowd was all warmed up at this point, ready for anything, so there was a huge cheer when the familiar riff of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ crept into our ears. They played popular crowd favorites such as ‘Ban the Tube Top’ and ‘Don’t Start A Band’, and equally exciting covers like Van Morrison’s ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ and most notably, a hilarious adaptation of ‘Beauty School Dropout’ from Grease. The mosh pit grew steadily, and practically exploded with the onslaught of “Where Have You Been”, and a guest appearance by Suburban Legends guitarist (and roommate of RBF singer Aaron Barrett), Brian Wayne Klemm, which featured a wild guitar battle between the two men, and ended with Barrett jokingly schooling Klemm.

As the evening reached its pinnacle, they busted out the much-anticipated ‘Beer’, transporting all in attendance back into the nineties (perhaps Barrett never left, what with his impressive sideburns and Hawaiian floral button-up). And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more epic, they announced that they were “masters of all musical styles”, and proceeded to play multiple renditions of ‘You Don’t Know’ in a “punk-rock styling,” “bluegrass styling,” “disco styling,” “country western styling”, and “screamo styling”. They consoled the audience about the show’s imminent end with some words of wisdom: “bad news is we only have one song left, good news is you can’t get herpes twice.” They ended the night right with their most-famous song, ‘Sell-Out” and a taste of the classic rock gem ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane.’

An undeniably successful evening, if not simply for flashy dance moves, epic guitar battles, an unbeatable venue, and good old-fashioned ska, then for trumpeter Scott Klopfenstein’s adorable thigh-high blue sailor shorts and nerdy glasses. Oh, and of course the cowbell.

Suburban Legends pose for a photograph backstage before the show.

Suburban Legends frontman Vincent Walker calls for some audience participation.

Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish pulls a face on stage.

Scott Klopfenstein of Reel Big Fish.

Publication on UCSC's City On A Hill Press website pending editorial approval.