To the Beach and Back Again
Last weekend it happened.
The perfect storm of surf, sun and ska crashed ashore as Huntington Beach, California hosted the BIGGEST Ska/Punk music festival in the last 20 years.
🌊 🌞 🎶
The Back to the Beach Festival, is the brainchild of Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and Goldfinger front man John Feldman. 30,000 people attended each day of the festival which featured 16 scheduled bands and countless of surprise guests.
I originally posted about this festival HERE, but here is another quick look at all the bands scheduled to play.
Day 1 - Saturday, April 28
Doors on the first day opened at noon. Things were a little disheveled at the start (one unannounced band started before anyone besides the VIP crowd were in the venue), but things sorted themselves fast enough.
Being at the show was a bit like being on Tatooine.
Everything was on sand, food vendors, merch booths... It was so hard to walk through all the sand.
The sun (plus the reflection off of the sand and ocean) made a good hat, sunscreen and sunglasses must haves on the day.
Spread throughout the venue were games (Jenga, cornhole), novelties (ride a mechanical shark), a kid zone and plenty of instagramable vignettes.
There is nothing here to demonstrate perspective, but these beach chairs were MASSIVE.
Friend & Hubs posing in matching Bart Ska-mpson t-shirts.
YOU DON’T KNOW SKA?!!
source - Portlandia
Big D and the Kids Table
The first band of note on day one was Big D and the Kids Table. Big D were joined on stage by the Doped Up Dollies for a high energy 30 minute set. Both bands hail from Boston, Massachusetts.
🎶 Noise Complaint ⬇️
After Big D, Mad Caddies and Suicide Machines both played sets, but I was lost in sand dune looking for food. I found this! The Elote Dog, supposedly the favorite hot dog of Los Angeles.
Hot dog wrapped in bacon with a Mexican corn salsa, cotija cheese and sriracha mayo.
Recipe HERE
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake are one of my very favorites. Infact, I like them so much we saw the band on May 2nd back in Seattle too! 😄 This five man Ska-Punk band formed in Gainesville, Florida in 1992.
🎶 Ghost of You and Me ⬇️
Then I spent an hour in line trying to get a strawberry smoothie.... 😑
🍓
Next thing you know it was time for the Aquabats
The Aquabats are an insane band. They wear tight fitting, matching “superhero” costumes. They have a kids television series called the Aquabats Super Show and they fight “super villains” during their sets.
A fun fact you may not know, Blink 182’s drummer Travis Barker (organizer of the festival) used to be in the Aquabats! He rejoined the band in full costume for their set at Back to the Beach.
Pool Party ⬇️
Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Like Big D and the Kids Table, the Bosstones are also from Boston. Each year for the past 20, they have hosted a HUGE, three day hometown throw down at Boston’s House of Blues around Christmas. It is a bucket list concert. If you are not familiar with the Bosstones, you may know frontman Dicky Barret as the lead of the band on the Jimmy Kimmel show.
The Bosstones segment of Back to the Beach was the Ska finale of the day. The day’s headliner wasn’t really in the same genre of music, so the Bosstones performance almost felt like the end of one show, while we readied ourself for a second show later in the evening.
The Bosstones came on as the sun started to set over the Pacific and many of the day’s other performers joined them on stage.
Impression that I Get ⬇️
311
311 are a rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. They are another group (like the Bosstones) with a hardcore crew of devoted fans. Every year on March 11, the band hosts 311 Day. On the day the band plays an extended concert. The last event saw them playing 89 songs over two days. 311 have released twelve studio albums.
All Mixed Up ⬇️
Come Original ⬇️
And so ended day 1.
Day 2 - Sunday, April 29
So concert day one was pretty brutal. I am feeble so the sand was killing me, I had forgotten sunglasses, the hour wait for the smoothie didn’t help and at the end of the night our cell service shat itself. So we were stranded and unable to call an Uber. If it weren’t for the taxi that randomly drove by and rescued us I was very close to tears standing on the PCH.
So, I decided to skip the first three hours of concert day 2. Instead I shopped a little (bought sunglasses) and relaxed at the hotel while the boys went over before me.
Hotel courtyard, shade, chaises and amenities.
I caught up with my “crew” at about 3pm.
Sometimes you buy a stupid hat to protect your head from the sun.
From my Uber drop off I heard the band Mustard Plug, but I missed seeing their set.
Interrupters
The Interrupters are an up and coming band from Los Angeles, but there is a very good chance they are going to make it big. Last summer they toured with Green Day (Trey Cool was at Back to the Beach btw) and one of their songs is featured in a T-Mobile commercial. The three men in the band are brothers (two are identical twins) and the lead singer Aimee is married to the non-twin brother!
This is My Family ⬇️
Save Ferris
Next up were Save Ferris. This band has a sort of interesting history. They formed in Orange County in 1995 singing a combo of ska and swing style music. The lead singer Monique Powell has a very Gwen Stefani vibe. She is a singer but was not a writer of the band’s music. Save Ferris broke up and many years later without permission of her former band mates and song writers, Monique started performing again under the name Save Ferris. A two year lawsuit followed, which was eventually settled amicably. The terms of the post suit agreement allowed Powell to perform using the band’s name.
She Has a Girlfriend Now ⬇️
Fishbone
Fishbone are a band other bands emulate. They are also my husband’s all time favorite band. They formed in 1979, way back in their junior high school. What made Fishbone unique as their popularity rose was the fact they were an all African American rock group. They weren’t R&B or soul. They were rock, punk and ska.
There is a documentary called Everyday Sunshine about Fishbone that is fascinating. If you are into music it is worth watching.
Fishbone’s original line up - Chris Dowd, Angelo Moore, Dirty Walt and Norwood Fisher
Skanking to the Beat ⬇️ This song appeared in the 1989 teen classic Say Anything
Goldfinger
Like the Bosstones the night before, Goldfinger were the Ska finale of night two. Boy, did they bring it. I am not sure if I have ever been to a show that rewarded the audience as much as this set.
First off their front man, John Feldman, was one of the co-organizers of the whole festival, so his on stage enthusiasm was contagious. Secondly, they brought surprise after surprise in stage.
Surprise one, Mike Herrera, the lead singer of MXPX was playing in Goldfinger’s band. Then Travis Barker joined the crew. Then the Doped Up Dollies from the previous day came on stage as did Fishbone. Next thing you know this menagerie of musicians was joined by Tony Kanal (THE BASS PLAYER FOR NO DOUBT). The breaking point was when all of the band REEL BIG FISH appeared! If you are not familiar with Ska, Reel Big Fish are HUGE in the scene. To fan’s disappointment, RBF had declined joining the festival’s bill because of contractual obligations related to their upcoming stint on Vans Warped Tour. But then THEY SHOWED UP ANYWAY!!!! People lost their minds. It was the most fun and intense (in the best way) concert moment I have ever witnessed.
Tijuana Sunrise ⬇️
Superman ⬇️
Sellout ⬇️ Reel Big Fish Hit, sung by RBF!!
John Feldman in the crowd
Everyone
The last band of the night was Sublime with Rome. I have seen them a ton so decided to listen to the music from a distance while the sun set.
And the moon rose.
All in all it was a fantastic experience.
Thanks for coming with me Back to the Beach.
All photos and videos taken by me
April 28 & 29th, 2018. iPhone 7.
Proud Member of:
April 28 & 29th, 2018. iPhone 7.
I have never tried hotdog the way you do it: Hot dog wrapped in bacon with a Mexican corn salsa, cotija cheese and sriracha mayo. Thanks for the recipe- I will try it! Which of the bands was your favorite? I find that beach-water shoes are the best shoes to wear in any beach gathering. It is always a breeze to walk on sand. I enjoyed your article! Thanks for bringing us along.
Sand shoes would have helped. Where were you in my moment of desperation? Lol 😄
We did flip flops then went barefoot. All the trudging made for an excellent workout. ☺️
You forgot to post photos of the great success of the festival: the band "The Stackers".
Best band ever! 😄
post edited because i accidentally posted it before it was finished! Lot’s more to read and hear now. Damn thumbs! 😄
Oh man! Would I have loved to be there! Great write up, so jealous! Must have been one heck of an experience to witness so many awesome SkaPunk bands sharing the stage.
It was great. You could really feel the comradery & history between all the bands. The last day when Goldfinger was playing & all the surprise guests showed up one after the other... so exciting.
I even got a little tear in my eye. ☺️
mhen, you are so detailed...lol....sounds like you had loads of fun and loads of sands ....lol
😄 Probably too detailed. Like being invited over to watch someone’s vacation slide show (an 80’s thing).
Sooooo much sand. On Day 2 I found my groove.
😁
One cannot be too detailed when taking a journal....just imagine reading this blog after 20 years - memories!!!!!!! ;)
As a big music lover i signed most of the bands you mentioned for searching them lately on the internet, by the way i like your post, beach music festivals must be awesome i wish i could enjoy one too ^^
Thank you for stopping by. A lot of these bands were at their peek of popularity when I was in my early to mid twenties so seeing them all together really took me back to those carefree days, and ska music is always so fun. It was a great 2 days. Definitely get to a beach concert one day if you have the opportunity. ☺️
Looks like a lot of fun d-fin 🤟😎
It was good times... now like a vacation junkie I am looking for my next travel fix! 😄
Aw man, I was supposed to go to this. I had a family emergency and had to forfeit my ticket to go fly across the country last minute. Was very sad about it.
Oh no... that sucks, both for missing the event and family stuff. 🙁 I hope the family things turned out OK, but imagine that flying cross country means things were/are quite serious.
Unfortunately, it didn't... my grandma passed away. But of course I'm not going to complain about having to honor her memory, because she was a badass woman and she's worth missing infinite ska shows. My boyfriend and I had our second date at a pop punk fest at those grounds in Huntington Beach and he loves ska, and it was just his birthday, so it would have been perfect. He ended up having to go without me. :/ Ah well.
🙁 I am so sorry about your grandma. And about the distance. I lived super far away from home when my grandmother passed away. It was terrible not to be in a position to come back, say goodbye & be near family. This was way back in 2003. I hope your grandma lived a good life and I hope your memories of your time together can bring you some comfort. It is so hard....
So you know I absolutely love this!! 🎶all mixed up, don't know what to do🎶 Thank you for letting me live vicariously through you!!! Soooo wish I was there!!! And um... I have a post coming for you soon so keep your eyes peeled!! And thank you so much @dfinney!! You are truly awesome!! I can't wait to make your post and show off my awesome 311 stuff!!! 🤘🤘🤘
😃🙃😙
Yay!!!! Glad the mailman arrived to your house with the goods. 🎉 🎊
Lol ... I was sooo surprised!!! I told @firecajun9262 shame on him for keeping the secret!!!! Lol
Oh and PS - I was totally thinking about you because in San Diego the night before the show we met up with a friend who lives down there. He and my husband used to run this reggae rock website called thepier.org. Anyway, Hubs founded the site, this friend joined him after, Hubs left the site but friend still runs it... blah blah blah. So we are in SD with the friend going to all of these record stores trying to find some 311 album (I forget which one) because friend had an INTERVIEW with Nick Hexum the next day & part of the schtick of the interview was to have the album, talk about it and get it autographed. All I could think was I know someone who would really like to be part of this interview!!!
Omg!!!! You know me sooo well!!! Lol that would have been a dream for sure!! How awesome is that!! I'm so very envious!!! And love you sharing it all!! You kinda make me feel like I am a part of it just by sharing that with me. Awesome @dfinney!! Truly awesome!!
Thank you for your continued support of SteemSilverGold