Johnny D's | Boston Ska (dot) net

Pressure Cooker to Play Johnny D’s Before It Closes

August 3, 2015 by Jacob Wake Up!

This could be the last time to see Pressure Cooker perform at Johnny D’s before they close up shop

The English Beat Announce May Show at Johnny D’s, More Dates in Summer

March 28, 2015 by Alex Chiasson

General admission tickets are still available for Johnny D’s in May, while the band has announced two New Hampshire dates in August

VIDEO: Two Full Bim Skala Bim Sets from Recent New England Gigs

January 28, 2015 by Jacob Wake Up!

Bim Skala Bim has posted video of complete sets from two of their recent New England dates

Bim Skala Bim Announces New England Winter Tour, Releases Split 7-inch

January 10, 2015January 4, 2015 by Jacob Wake Up!

Bim Skala Bim returns to Johnny D’s this month. Last month they released a split 7-inch with King Hammond.

Boston’s Own Pressure Cooker Heats Ups Johnny D’s in Somerville, Sept 7

September 22, 2013September 7, 2013 by Jacob Wake Up!

So maybe it’s starting to feel a little bit like fall. Maybe the temperature dropped a little and the wind is picking up. Maybe it’s that much more important to check out a show before you start using the snow as an excuse not to leave your apartment.

The Toasters Call Boston Home, Perform at TT The Bear’s March 1

April 17, 2013February 24, 2013 by Jacob Wake Up!

They bill themselves these days as “The Longest Running U.S. Ska Band,” but I always think of them as “The Hardest Working Band in Ska.” The Toasters have been doing what they’ve been doing for 33 year years, touring nationally and internationally, and few others in this world can say that.

This Friday, they play at TT The Bear’s in Cambridge. I was able to have a few words with Rob “Bucket” Hingley, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the band, and founder of Moon Ska Records (1983-200) and Megalith Records (est. 2002).

Presidents’ Day News Round Up

April 10, 2013February 19, 2013 by Jacob Wake Up!

Got yesterday off? Lucky bastard. Had to work? Hopefully this helps you ease into your week. (I meant to post this yesterday but I went to go see Django and that thing is like 7 hours long. My bad.)

Big D and the Kids Table ran a Kickstarter campaign to fund their new record(s). It got funded! But they’re going to fund it themselves anyways? I’m confused.
Record Store Day is April 20. Mark your calendars and find a record store or two to get to that day.
From the rumor mill: Westbound Train considers recording a cover record! Kidding…
Didn’t make it to Johnny D’s for The Pomps and Riki Rocksteady on 2/2? Mark Stern Photography took some great shots of the night.
I caught The Slackers in Northampton at Pearl Street on 2/2. The were great and I found some video, posted below the jump.
I also had the chance to talk to Bucket from The Toasters about they’re upcoming show at TT The Bear’s. Watch for that post later this week!
Are you on Instagram? Tag your photos with #bostonska. Looks like folks have been doing it, but here’s a friendly reminder to keep it up!
As always, check out the show calendar! Riki Rocksteady, SuperSka, The Allstonians, Brunt of It, and A Guy Named Guy all have gigs.

The Slackers played one of my favorite songs, “Lazy Woman,” but rarely do they play it live, and that’s okay. BUT someone yelled it out and they played it!

The English Beat Comes to Johnny D’s in Somerville, Jan 29

October 14, 2013November 24, 2012 by Jacob Wake Up!

About 6 years ago I was living in Tucson, AZ, going to shows at the Rialto and Hotel Congress. The hotel was having a Halloween Block Party of sorts with a few different stages of music, including a special outdoor stage on their back patio. There were a ton of bands playing, but the only one I wanted to see was The English Beat. I had a handful of questions that needed answering: when did they start playing again? Who was in the band these days? Who was still interested in seeing this band?

Boston Ska News Roundup October 2012

January 13, 2013October 15, 2012 by Jacob Wake Up!

Originally posted at jacobwakeup.com

So the Obi Fernandez CD release show was awesome. Soul Rebel Project was tight but didn’t quite move me, Riki Rocksteady was a blast, and of course Obi Fernandez KILLED it. They played mostly new stuff, as far as I could tell, some Westbound Train tunes, and some great covers. Specifically, they opened with a sick rocksteady version of “The KKK Took My Baby Away.” Obi was giving out download cards for his new record. Stream it on Spotify or buy it directly from Paper + Plastick (it’s worth it to buy it, and purchases are without a doubt, better for the artist). And of course now I’m all the more stoked for The Aggrolites on Tuesday.

October Ska Shows [And Other News]

March 31, 2016October 3, 2012 by Jacob Wake Up!

Originally posted at jacobwakeup.com

So I sort of blinked and noticed there’s a handful of great ska shows in Boston this month. And then I noticed they weren’t all listed anywhere. In the event that Bostonska.com doesn’t get around to posting them, I wanted to pull them all together. So, risking being the new guy who rolls into town and pretends he knows what’s up, I’ve got a very incomplete arbitrarily compiled list! Feel free to add more in the comments that I might have missed.