Boston Ska Pioneers Bim Skala Bim have made a large chunk of their back catalog of LPs available to fans through their Nimbit Music digital store. Fans can rest assured they’re buying directly from the band, and Nimbit is based in Framingham, MA to boot. The band advertised that their full catalog was available. I’m no expert on the band and I picked up most of their LPs on eMusic way back, but a little research confirmed my hunch that there were still some singles and EP material not available through the store. Nonetheless, there are 11 albums available on sale for between $7 and $12 an album and you can buy the tracks individually if you prefer. You could just as easily get many of these tracks from iTunes but Nimbit gives you 256 kbps mp3s and no DRM. Just head to the store and click on the “shop” tab.
Last week, Asbestos Records announced that CT ska legends Spring Heeled Jack will be gracing Boston with its presence for the first time since last October’s Skalapalooza. Unlike last year’s affair, they’re not billing themselves as “acoustic” this year. If you were fortunate enough to make it to New York City for the Apple Stomp, you caught the real deal with horns and all. (If I may play the elitist for a moment, the really special event was the two-night reunion in May of 2010 at Toad’s Place in the New Haven. It was epic but rest assured I was still front and center singing my heart out at Apple Stomp).
Bim Skala Bim has posted a cover of Bob Marley’s “Easy Skankin'” on soundcloud. I’m really diggin’ the lead hook on trombone, the midtempo ska feel, and the twangy guitars on their version. If you pre-order their new record “Chet’s Last Call,” available August 17, you can download the song now.
I’ll spare you too much editorial on this one. Bim Skala Bim is hosting another Mash It Up Fest Saturday night at the Middle East in Central Square. If it’s anything like the last affair, it’s going to be a good time. The line up is killer and Sam Adams is sponsoring the show (promo pints? I certainly hope so). It’s also the unofficial (?) after-party for the Bosstones show on the Common.
Entertainers this evening include JP’s Pressure Cooker, John DeCarlo and Company (fresh off the Version City Tour), Riki Rocksteady & The Arraignments, and Mr. Kowalsky. No, you don’t have to choose between this and the Bosstones. Get to the Middle East at 8 or find the other folks going late from the Boston Common and share a cab. Either way, get your ass there.
Here are the details and here’s the Facebook event. Get to know the bands below.
It seems excessively late for a December 2012 recap from where we currently stand, forward facing the bitter cold of January’s last frame. In my defense, I went a bit overboard late last year, insisting on drinking and smoking through a cold that became a full-fledged plague by the last night of the Hometown Throw down. With a weekend of fun ska/punk shows coming up, it’s a good time to recap the madness.
12.14.12
Home For The Skalidays at The Audio Jungle
It started innocently enough in the middle of the month. A Guy Named Guy was headlining the Audio Jungle with a toys for tots benefit. I took a long lunch that day and secured my tot toy at Newberry comics. Come 6 ‘o clock, toy and camera gear in hand, I was headed to Allston. This was a fantastic show. Mr. Furious started the night off, and impressed the hell out of me. I finally got to see Short Handed Goal, a ska punk band based out of RI. Nice guys and a solid set. Fort! The band was up next and always destroys a basement with their ever-evolving gypsy ska-punk-slouch madness. I can’t get enough of Fort!, it’s never the same show twice, and the energy they bring to the table as a collective is impressive. Connecticut’s Llama Tsunami continue to be my nutmeg state ska crush, powering through a strong set of original material sprinkled with energetic covers. I took a setlist, from a basement show, that’s how much I respect this band. A Guy Named Guy, fresh off the release of their Terminals split with Puerto Rico’s D-Cent Jerks, brought the night to a close. If you only know this band from the incredibly popular, and polished, youtube video for “Ska’s Not Dead,” a song they quite possibly retired that night, you have no idea how hard these guys will thrash through a set.
Welcome to first post on Boston Ska (dot) net. Let’s call this a soft launch. I’d been blogging at jacobwakeup.com and decided to start this sucker.
I missed the first couple weeks of November but there’s still a decent amount going on. I wasn’t able to make it to The Toasters on November 3rd at Johnny D’s. Did anyone catch any video from the show? I wasn’t able to find any on YouTube. It’s okay, The Toasters will be at TT’s in March.
Last week, 
