Since I’m not that great of a writer and I’m a bit lazy, I’m letting Jordan Porter write this show announcement.  Let’s face it, he’s better than I am:

This, my friends, is the stuff of legends. Pure solid gold. Absolute, 5-Airhorns-a-blazin’ lunacy. On February 11, New York City Ska seminal skankers The Toasters return for a 31st year of enlisting 15 year old kids into the 2-Tone Army (a-hey! a-hey!). Helping these elder statesmen out in the department of heavy hitting monster reggae will be two scorching local groups ready to turn your hips into jelly.

The Dropsteppers, fresh off their 2011 Megalith Records debut “Get Up in It!”, will supply you with their trademark soulful lamentations, with that added Perez Bros kick to take it up two notches.

The Prizefighters, having just released their vinyl-only special edition of “Follow My Sound” on Jump Up! Records, will make you about half an inch shorter from all the cartilage-grinding your knees will joyfully succumb to.

Saturday, February 11th
Triple Rock Social Club
9:00 PM, 18+
$10 adv./$12 door

Check out MNSKA for all the latest details, happenings, goings-ons, reviews, discussions, and best-dressed lists.

You can get your advance tickets HERE

MNSKA’s own The Dropsteppers released their smash-hit debut full-length Get Up In It! last November and it is currently in the running for Best Ska Album of 2011.  As a surging ska community, we should all show our support and vote for them over at joescholes.com.  It’s time to put MNSKA on the map!

You can cast your vote HERE.  You better hurry, the polls close January 22nd!

MNSKA band The Dropsteppers have had a busy year.  They signed with Megalith Records, put out their debut album Get Up In It!, and are have quite a few shows lined up before the year is out.  As a treat to fans, the band has posted a video of them playing a new song called “Looters On Broadway.”

Check out the band at the 331 Club in Nordeast Minneapolis this Wednesday!  They are playing with Brilliant Beast (featuring Jordan and Eric from The Prizefighters)

Check out the video on YouTube HERE

MNSKA band The Dropsteppers are now streaming their debut CD Get Up In It! on their Facebook page.  The album is being put out Megalith Records and can be ordered on their site.  The band will be headlining a huge release show this Friday at The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis along with MNSKA bands The Prizefighters and Umbrella Bed.  The show is 21+ with doors at 9 pm and only a $5 cover.  Of course, you are going to want to bring extra cash to pick up the new releases from The Dropsteppers and The Prizefighters!

You can stream Get Up In It! HERE

Peep this hilarious Beatles spoof poster promoting the new album Get Up In It! from MNSKA band The Dropsteppers.  The album officially is available on October 21st, 2011 on Megalith Records.

Be sure to catch the band at the MNSKA Double Release Party with The Prizefighters and Umbrella Bed on Friday, October 21st at the Nomad World Pub!

The month of  October is a gigantic one for MNSKA.  Just look at the show calendar below…it’s crazy!  Let me highlight some of the shows that you, the MNSKA faithful, should be at.  This Sunday, the infamous crusty ska-punk heroes Leftover Crack will be playing at the Triple Rock Social Club with MNSKA band Rocksteady Breakfast.  A couple days later at the First Ave Mainroom is legendary Ziggy Marley.  Arizona surf/ska/punk band Authority Zero is bringing it to the 7th Street Entry on Sunday October 16th.  Looking ahead to that weekend, check out Thursday October 20th where the mighty Aggrolites are bringing their dirty reggae to the 7th Street Entry!  The next night is an all-out MNSKA Double Release Party at the Nomad World Pub.  On Friday, October 21st you can dance to the boss tunes from MNSKA’s The Dropsteppers, who are releasing Get Up In It! on Megalith Records, and The Prizefighters, who are releasing their special-edition vinyl of Follow My Sound on Jump Up Records.  The show opens up with the epic return of long-running two-tone massive known as Umbrella Bed!  But the month is not over yet, because the superhuman ska force known as 3 Minute Hero is playing a release show at the Fine Line Music Cafe on Friday, October 28th.  The band is only releasing a limited number of their new music collection, so you should make it your bee’s wax to be at that one!

Whew!  Tons of ska shows to attend.  Which shows will we see you at?  Be sure to continue to check our SHOWS page for updates.

Tom McDowall from MNSKA band The Dropsteppers has posted a video of a new rocksteady song “(Not Just A) Face In The Crowd” that will be become part of the band’s live set.  This one is special to us at MNSKA because it was apparently written for us!  Tom explains:

Wrote this Rocksteady number for Courtney Klos and Aaron Porter at MNSKA for helping the band out so much for the past year. Thanks dudes.

Color us flattered!  Can blogs blush?  Be sure to keep tuned to the site as The Dropsteppers get set to release their debut full-length Get Up In It! on Megalith Records this Fall.

You can watch the video on YouTube HERE

MNSKA band The Dropsteppers are releasing their new album Get Up In It! on Megalith Records and have been making a splash world-wide.  This past week, the band had songs played on GO FEET! Radio in Australia and on Roots Rock Rebel in Montreal, Canada.  Both of these radio programs are available in podcast form at Musical Occupation and are great showcases for the latest ska-related music.

Listen to GO FEET! Radio HERE

Listen to Roots Rock Rebel HERE

MNSKA band and Megalith Records artists The Dropsteppers are planning to release their debut full-length album Get Up In It! very soon.  So for your viewing pleasure, here is what the cover art, designed by MNSKA’s own Aaron Porter, looks like.

The Dropsteppers have planned a CD release show at The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis on Friday, October 21st with The Prizefighters, who will be releasing their new vinyl, and the return of Umbrella Bed.  Stay tuned for more details.

Check out the tracklisting for Get Up In It! after the jump.

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Fall 2011 is looking to be a solid season for MNSKA!  There are going to be a whole truckload of new releases from bands in the MNSKA community.  Let me give you a run down of what you can look forward to:

Rocksteady Breakfast will be releasing their new CD on Saturday, September 3rd at The Rat Hole in South Minneapolis.  The band has spent the past year and a half working on this album.  It is a must-have for fans of raw energetic underground punk-ska!  Details for the release show can be found HERE

The Prizefighters have been busy this past year putting together a special-edition vinyl LP of their recent release Follow My Sound via Jump Up Records.  Along with songs from the album, side B of the vinyl will include new unreleased songs, instrumental versions, and even a dub from Anthony Abbinanti (The Drastics).  The band will be releasing the album at special double release show with MNSKA band The Dropsteppers on Friday, October 21st at The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis.  The Dropsteppers spent the early part of 2011 in the studio to create their debut full-length CD Get Up In It via Megalith Records.

Veteran third-wave ska band 3 Minute Hero recently announced their triumphant return to the Twin Cities music scene.  To commemorate being back in the saddle, they are hard at work on a new release that should be out this Fall.  Stay tuned to MNSKA.com for more details!

Long-time Twin Cities reggae band Dred I Dread will be releasing their much anticipated follow-up to 2009′s Tribulation sometime in early 2012.  The band previewed some of their new songs at the recent Jamaican Independence Day party at The Red Sea.