Today’s video is from third-wave ska rockers Spring Heeled Jack.  It was from a performance at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City in 1998.  This band featured quite the horn section, including Pete “JR” Wasilewski (Less Than Jake) on tenor sax, Tyler Jones (Reel Big Fish) on trumpet,  and Chris Rhodes (Bim Skala Bim, The Toasters, Mighty Mighty Bosstones) on trombone.

On the AV Club Twin Cities site this week, Jason Heller wrote a column about the endearing and lasting qualities of ska music.  The article is centered around the latest ska-punk bands due to the recent Reel Big Fish show.  Heller describes what it’s like at a ska show:

There’s no way to play it hip at a ska show. And that’s its inherent saving grace: You can only act so tough with a trombone shoved in your face. You can only stand there with your arms crossed for so long—with everyone skanking like maniacs around you—before you’re the one who looks like a dork.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.

MNSka.com is proud to present the LAST QUESTION in our trivia contest to help promote the upcoming Reel Big Fish/English Beat concert TOMORROW Tuesday, August 11th at the Minnesota Zoo Ampitheater.  If you are the first to correctly answer today’s question, you will win Monkeys For Nothing And The Chimps For Free, the latest full-length album by Reel Big Fish courtesy of Rock Ridge Music.

Question 6: What Reel Big Fish album was released WITHOUT the band’s permission? (Exact album title)

To win, you must post your answer on the MNSKA FORUM.  GOOD LUCK!

UPDATE – We have a winner!  Thanks to all who entered the contest over the past 2 weeks.  Hope to see you all at the show TOMORROW!

MNSka.com is proud to continue our trivia contest to help promote the upcoming Reel Big Fish/English Beat concert on Tuesday, August 11th at the Minnesota Zoo Ampitheater.  If you are the first to correctly answer today’s question, you will win Fame, Fortune and Fornication, the latest all-covers album by Reel Big Fish courtesy of Rock Ridge Music.

Question 5: What member of Reel Big Fish was “fired” from the band for hitting a security guard at a show?

To win, you must post your answer on the MNSKA FORUM.  GOOD LUCK!

UPDATE: We have a winner!  Stay tuned to the site for the FINAL question in our RBF Trivia contest!

MNSka.com is proud to continue our trivia contest to help promote the upcoming Reel Big Fish/English Beat concert on Tuesday, August 11th at the Minnesota Zoo Ampitheater.  If you are the first to correctly answer today’s question, you will win the brand new Reel Big Fish Live! In Concert! DVD.

Question 4: What member of Reel Big Fish has appeared on a Less Than Jake album and what is the name of that album?

To win, you must post your answer on the MNSKA FORUM.  GOOD LUCK!

UPDATE – We have a winner!  Stay tuned to the site for the next question!

MNSka.com is proud to continue our Reel Big Fish/English Beat Trivia Contest, where you can have a chance to win tickets to the upcoming Reel Big Fish/English Beat concert on Tuesday, August 11th at the Minnesota Zoo Ampitheater!

Question 3: Reel Big Fish made a cameo in the 1998 film “BASEketball,” which featured their famous cover of Aha’s “Take On Me.”  What Reel Big Fish original song was also featured?

In order to win a pair of tickets to the show, you must go to the MNSKA FORUM and post your answer in the contest thread.  GOOD LUCK!

MNSka.com is proud to continue our Reel Big Fish/English Beat Trivia Contest, where you can have a chance to win tickets to the upcoming Reel Big Fish/English Beat concert on Tuesday, August 11th at the Minnesota Zoo Ampitheater!

Question 2: The English Beat splintered into diffferent bands, one of them being General Public, who covered the song “I’ll Take You There.”  This cover was used by President Clinton’s primary election campaign.  Why were General Public not allowed to play at any of President Clinton’s inaugural balls according to Dave Wakeling?

In order to win a pair of tickets to the show, you must go to the MNSKA FORUM and post your answer in the contest thread.  GOOD LUCK!

UPDATE – We have a winner!  Keep checking out the site for your next chance to win!

We at MNSka.com are having our very first contest!  Reel Big Fish and The English Beat are currently on tour together and will be playing at the MN Zoo Ampitheater on Tuesday, August 11th.  In honor of such a spectacular show, we are hosting a Reel Big Fish/The English Beat Trivia Contest!

There will be 6 different questions posted on the site where if you are the first to answer correctly, you win one of our 6 prizes, including pairs of tickets to the show, the new RBF DVD, and RBF CDs!  To answer the questions, you must register as a member of the MNSka FORUM and post your answer in the contest thread.

The first prize up for grabs is A PAIR OF TICKETS to the August 11th RBF/English Beat show!  You can find the first question after the jump.

(more…)

Orange County ska-core staples Reel Big Fish are releasing their new DVD Live! In Concert! today via Rock Ridge Music.  The footage on this DVD is from a sold-out show at The Grove of Anaheim from January 2009 and features 20 classic Reel Big Fish songs and covers along with the hilarious in-between-song-banter-and-shenanigans that we have come to know and love.

You can check out Reel Big Fish on Tuesday, August 11th at the Minnesota Zoo with The English Beat.   You can view clips from the DVD after the jump.

(more…)

I know this video has been on the internet for a while, but in 2007 the Cal Marching Band did a medley of Ska Punk tunes for the halftime show of the football game.  Songs include “Sell Out” by Reel Big Fish, “Superman” by Goldfinger, “The Impression That I Get” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and “Beer” by Reel Big Fish.  Being a huge ska fan and a former marching band member, this video makes me very happy.