Long Shot Hero - Reunion Show
One of our past locals rises from the grave this June 5th, 2010. Long Shot Hero will reuniting at the Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown, PA. They will be supported by the Spacepimps.
For those curious, this lineup consists of Chris Irons, Eric Jaber,Doug Life, Kaity Jaber, Joel Frederick, Matt Diamond, Anthony Hurrell, and Bob Gordon.
The band has graciously made their entire catalog available for free at PureVolume.com.
Ticket Giveaway! - Bob Marley's Legend Live @ Keswick Theatre
The classic Legend compilation of Bob Marley's material was released in 1984 and remains the most well-known, despite there being a large number of others. It stands firmly as the best selling reggae album of all time.
On Saturday, February 6th, the Classic Albums Live group will be performing the album in its entirety at the Keswick Theatre. This group is not a run-of-the-mill cover band. They are obsessed with the details and strive to faithfully reproduce, note-for-note, the sound of their source material. This means finding performers perfectly suited for the job.
We have 3 pairs of tickets to give away to this event courtesy of the Keswick Theatre and AEG Live. All that you have to do to enter is reply to this thread on the board by noon on February 4th. Full details may be found within.
Ska Favorites of 2009 on University Goes Ska
Tonight (Tuesday 1/19) on University Goes Ska, Monika will be playing selections from my Ska Favorites of 2009 that I have chosen. Be sure to tune in to WKDU from 5-7pm to hear it. For those in Philly it's on 91.7FM. Otherwise, you can listen to the live stream off of wkdu.org.
Haiti Benefit with Bigger Thomas on 1/31
Coming up on Sunday, January 31st, is a benefit at the Sellersville Theatre to raise money to support relief efforts in Haiti. Bigger Thomas is headlining the affair. Their vocalist, Roger Apollon, will serve as the host. Since both of his parents are Haitian immigrants this is certainly close to home for him.
100% of the ticket price will be donated directly to the International Red Cross. For more information, see the Shows page.
$6 Megalith CDs Through January
In celebration of the new year, Megalith Records - presently America's most active ska label - is offering a big sale. All of the CDs in its catalog have been discounted to only $6 each!
You are strongly encouraged to take this wonderful opportunity to both stock up on a ton of great music for cheap, but also to show your support for this great source of new ska. Grab some new releases such as Royal City Riot, Freddy Loco & The Gordo's Ska Band, or Blaster Master. Catch up on some older releases that you may have missed too. Some of my top picks include: Channel One, The Bluebeats, any New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, Deal's Gone Bad, Mr. T-Bone, The Pepper Pots,Eastern Standard Time, and Babylove & The Van Dangos.
Get on this! You have until the end of January to take advantage of the savings.
Ska Favorites of 2009 - Part 1
Another year has passed and with it has come plenty of new ska releases. While I certainly have not listened to all of the mounds of ska unleashed on the public in 2009, what I can do is share with you some of my favorites thus far. These are the sounds that have been on heavy rotation on my playlist and continue to keep me entertained into 2010. Hopefully I'll be able to turn you on to some new ska that you may have missed and maybe some of you can offer me recommendations as well.
Just click through to start reading the first part of my list of favorite ska releases of 2009.
The Fire Reopens on Jan 14th
After getting shut down in late-November due to some vague, likely alcohol-related issues with the city, The Fire has managed to bounce back from the brink. Thanks to the support of the community at various benefit shows and other contributions, the venue will be back in action this Thursday, January 14th.
For those unaware, the significance of The Fire is that it has been one of the few of the city's small venues that is both able to host all ages shows and has a bar. Hopefully that won't change, but they may be playing it safe for a while.
Out Now: New Impalers Single
Axe Records is a small label catering to the skinhead reggae vibes and is best known for serving as the source of the Aggrolites' premiere album and single (this single is very hard to come by). Its releases are few and far between, but never disappoint.
The Impalers are the only other band to have released an album on Axe. Unlike their earlier instrumental single, their album is in more of a soul-reggae style and features a strong leading woman on vocals. It's a great listen and is now followed up by a new single in the same style. Mojo Hannah is a catchy tune that draws on the flavor of New Orleans. Its B-side, Return of Jackson gets back to the band's roots with a (mostly) instrumental tune. Both can be sampled on the Axe Records site. If you dig them, then you can buy yourself a copy of the 7-inch for a mere $5.
Slackers Ticket Giveaway (5 Pairs)!
If you are any kind of ska fan, then the Slackers most certainly are among your favorites both in the studio and on stage. This month, another round of serious Slack is coming to Philly on December 20th at the TLA.
Courtesy of Live Nation, we have 5 pairs of tickets to this show to give away to some lucky fans. All that you have to do to enter is to post a reply to this topic on the PhillySka board and include your favorite Slackers tunes. All entries must be received by Sunday, December 6th at noon. Full details may be found on the board. Good luck!
Jump Up Records Sampler - Free Download
The long-standing ska label Jump Up Records out of Chicago continues to deliver a ton of great reggae and ska. It offers its own releases along with distributing ska from all over the world to American buyers. Its latest sampler, Let's Have A Caribbean Party has been made available for download for free. Give it a listen to hear tracks from the label's recent and future releases. There's a ton of great stuff to please any traditional ska fan.
Of particular note, you will find a track from the unreleased Wareika Hill album. It sounds great, but that should come as no surprise. Beyond that, just about every track is a winner. This should help you find some new picks for your wish list.