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Review: Less Than Jake, Astoria, London
LONDON--In the current kink in the alternative music timeline, there are some bands that think that they are trendsetters, though they are doing little more than recycling an old genre (Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson). There are also those that pride themselves on what they think is obnoxiously witty behavior (Offspring, Blink 182), forgetting that Wayne and Garth of "Wayne's World" got there first. And then there is Less Than Jake.
The ska punkers have always stuck to their promise of never taking themselves seriously, and as result, they are a class act. The rewards of a down-to-earth attitude and an awesome horns section an opening spot on Bon Jovi's upcoming U.S. tour and a massive fan base that is desperate--even the guys--to throw its underwear at lead singer Chris.
Less Than Jake's Halloween show at London's Astoria was played to a 2,000-strong crowd of homey-punk teen crossovers who sported mohawks and baggy jeans with the waist around their knees. To get into the spirit, LTJ littered the stage with gravestones, turned on the smoke machines and brought on a skull-headed dancer. However, the show was far from morbid. Instead it was a full-frontal attack that included older material from the band's first four albums, as well as hits from "Hello Rockview" and the latest LP, "Borders and Boundaries".
Ska is meant to be enjoyed live, and LTJ fulfilled this goal as members ran around the stage while they played and sang. "Rockview" hits "Help Save the Youth of America from..." "Nervous in the Alley" and "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads" (with Roger on vocals) had fans moshing uncontrollably. The atmosphere was chaotic, and those without big boots or strong bones were best off on the balcony.
New songs like "Suburban Myth," "Kehoe" and "Look What Happened" proved that the horns and half-time drums that define ska are still steady components in LTJ's music. However, guitars on "Borders and Boundaries" had a heavy distortion, bordering on metals. (Maybe the reason Bon Jovi likes them?) Vocals are also more finely tuned; Chris and Roger actually elocute their words instead of screaming.
Overall, the boys from Gainesville, Fla., delivered. There were no pretentions during the last show of their world tour, just pure rebellious spirit. After playing three dozen dates in the U.S., Japan and Europe, they're ready to teach Bon Jovi a thing or two. And they've promised not to comment on Jon's hair.
