I went back to Bushwick Music Studios last Friday, where four ska bands played. Rather than do a formal writeup for this show, I was focusing on learning/experimenting with various video and sound equipment. All four bands were comprised of talented musicians, and there were DJs and singers between sets. The enthusiastic crowd danced wildly throughout the night.
The Equilibrians played first to a large crowd of about 100. A Brooklyn-based band, they seemed to have endless energy. Second was The Hard Times, based out of midtown, driven by solid keys and strong bass lines.
The Duppies – Suzie Q from Vivian Doskow on Vimeo.
The Duppies, currently on tour from Gainesville, Florida, were third. The band consists of Brian Hiebel singing, Lisa Ricci on tenor sax, Cory Klein playing bass, Roger Cohen on drums, Matt Creswell – trumpet, Tony Farah playing guitar, Micah Shalom on trumpet, trombone, and flugal horn. With frequent flashy yet melodic solos, especially on sax and trumpet, fast danceable ska beats, powerful vocals and a tight band chemistry, their music had the audience captivated.
Royal City Riot from Vivian Doskow on Vimeo.
Royal City Riot was the final band of the evening. Sax and trumpet solos, strong songwriting and relentless energy made for catchy melodies, and of course, an excited, wildly-dancing crowd.