Diary of a show: Reel Big Fish
| Published 11/19/04

 


Graphic by: Doni Neel
On Tuesday, Nov. 9, I ventured to Virgina Tech to see Reel Big Fish. For those of you that aren't very familiar with the band, Reel Big Fish is a ska-punk band (think of punk rock with a horn section) out of Southern California who broke into the mainstream in 1997 when their single "Sell-Out" hit it big on the radio; subsequently, the band became an MTV darling. Their shows usually combine energy-infused live performances with juvenile humor. Reel Big Fish was originally a traditional rock trio of vocalist/guitarist Aaron Barret, bassist Matt Wong and drummer Andrew Gonzales. However, the group discovered ska and, after several years of struggling to put together a stable horn section, they settled on trumpet players Travis Werts and Scott Klopfenstein and trombone players Grant Barry and Dan Reagan.

This was the second time I've had the opportunity to see Reel Big Fish (the first was Warped Tour 2002) and each time the band has put together an excellent live performance. Unfortunately, the crowd had to suffer through a mediocre opening band (of course they're mediocre, I know; that is why they are an opening band). They really wouldn't have been so bad if they had managed to do two things during their tediously lengthy hour-long set: 1) Select a style of music they wanted their band to play. The band alternated between some new fangled mainstream 'emo' sound and the desire to be a semi- hardcore act. 2) They could say their band name without slurring. C'mon folks, you are opening for Reel Big Fish and trying to promote your band that I'm sure some college students are going to be interested in; the least you could do is at least let me know what the heck your band is actually called.

After the set, the unimpressed crowd cheered as Reel Big Fish came on stage. Why not? They ended up playing some of their best material, including the aforementioned "Sell-Out," "She Has a Girlfriend Now" and "All I Want is More." Of course, they also played "Beer" and "Trendy." For being primarily Tech students, the crowd handled the show quite well. The only real displeasure originated from several tall and rude lacrosse players, who tried to plow their way to the front during the show at the expense of anyone in their path. The biggest surprise came when Aaron Barrett and Scott Klopfenstein lead the band into a cover of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" which they pulled off admirably.

The band also had the presence of mind to not just provide the audience with a live rehearsal of recorded material. In several songs (most notably "Beer") the band engaged in long, slow-tempo horn solos, giving the audience the opportunity for a mellow jive in the pit. I was able to participate in some large-scale, circular skanking (if you don't know what skanking is, the basic understanding needed is that it's simply a ska-styled dance) and I had the chance to watch some creative break-dancing and coordinated dancing duets. I think that kind of environment is necessary at a show and it provides a much-needed rest from the all-hell's-let-loose kind of commotion that occurs in the pit during every up-tempo moment of a song.

Reel Big Fish is currently working on a new album to be released some time in 2005. If you're into ska at all, I would highly recommend attending one of their shows in the future. For more on Reel Big Fish, check out their website at Reel Big Fish

Remember, that's Reel Big Fish . . . NOT Big Fish!

 

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