Reel Big Fish and Bowling For Soup
Even if you haven’t been keeping track of the various incarnations of the reggae-influenced and punk-infused genre known as ska, you’ve probably heard the biggest members of the “third wave” of ska like Reel Big Fish. Back in the mid-90s when people still listened to the radio, the Fish dared to name their breakthrough album Turn the Radio Off, even as stations all over the U.S. were going mildly bonkers over their 1997 hit “Sell Out.” By bonkers, I don’t mean they loved it – many DJs were annoyed that the track referenced FM payola scandals and the ridiculous circus nature of radio programming, but that didn’t keep the song from getting enough airplay to reach number ten on the U.S. Alternative chart. It remains pretty much their only charting hit record to date (as noted in a later Reel Big Fish song called “One Hit Wonderland,” off We’re Not Happy ‘Til You’re Not Happy). The tour bringing them to House of Blues on July 26 is in support of their first full-length since 2012, Life Sucks…Let’s Dance, released last December along with its lead single “You Can’t Have All Of Me.”
The co-headlining bill includes Texas-based Bowling For Soup, best known for singles such as “High School Never Ends,” Almost,” and “Girl All the Bad Guys Want.” They apparently just lost founding bassist Erik Chandler, to be replaced on this tour by Rob Felicetti of the Ataris.