LIVE REVIEW: Less Than Jake @ O2 Ritz, Manchester
Ah, Sundays – the day for rest and relaxation. The perfect time to pop on your dressing gown, run a warm bath and… skank your heart out in a sweaty music venue? This seems to be the ideal Sunday for everyone packed into the O2 Ritz in Manchester for LESS THAN JAKE, eagerly limbering up and downing pints in preparation for the evening ahead – an evening of totally giddy, sunshine-y ska-punk joy.
Starting off the evening on a high is MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP. With a ferocious attitude and command of the stage, Millie Manders is truly built for the stage; moving between glorious ska-punk screech-alongs and jagged, punchy spoken-word bangers, Manders doesn’t falter for a moment. Her passion is felt by everyone, whether she’s performing or emphasising the importance of mental health.
The true charm of THE SHUTUP, however, lies in how refreshing their sound is – the group take the classic flare of ska-punk and give it a fresh lick of genre-bending paint. Every track, be it from older EPs or the group’s magnificent 2020 debut Telling Truths, Breaking Ties, shows just how exciting modern ska-punk has the potential to be.
Rating: 8/10
After having a taste of contemporary ska, it’s time to take a step back; if you’re looking for a thick, classic sound, THE TOASTERS are exactly what you’re looking for. As soon as they take to the stage, the appreciation is evident – you can’t help but fall into the swing of those bouncy trumpets. Despite being in the game since the 80s, their passion is still sky-high, every beat electric.
Rating: 7/10
SKINNY LISTER follow on from THE TOASTERS, and their effect on the crowd is immediate. The choice to opt for a sound outside of the realms of ska is a change of pace, but a welcome one; the knee-slapping country-folk collective may come from a different world of sound, but their energy is equally as infectious.
As vocalist Lorna Thomas whirls around the stage, double bassist plucking strings and accordionist screeching into his mic, there’s this sense of carefully contained chaos – something hectic that manages to work perfectly. SKINNY LISTER’s energy captures a total lust for life, and that sensation is impossible not to get swept away in.
Rating: 8/10
After a steady flow of magnificent, rousing performances, it’s fair to say that the crowd is raring to go. As soon as LESS THAN JAKE take to the stage, the O2 Ritz descends into perfect chaos; opening track Last One Out of Liberty City is an immediate party, a huge pit of skanking fans bouncing into action. The floor of the venue shakes as the rhythmic feet pound along, everyone in swirling round, arm in arm, laughing into the sky as pints go flying – and it’s only one song in.
The best part about LESS THAN JAKE is how aware they are of their power over a crowd – as frontman Chris DeMakes says “oh wow – all this energy on a Sunday, Manchester!?”, he knows exactly what he’s doing. You think this is all we’ve got, Chris? Well, bloody think again! Manchester truly brought their all tonight – National Anthem even has the upstairs section opening up their own skank pit.
This symbiotic relationship between the band and the crowd is what separates LESS THAN JAKE from other ska-punk bands of their era. The band’s banter carries us through the show easily, the in-between-song chatter equally as entertaining as the setlist itself. From the promise to give “two free whiskies!” to anyone with a prosthetic leg, telling the drunk people “oh, we’ve played Gainesville Rock City twice already?” or dragging a guy on stage just because of his nice goatie, the atmosphere is one of silly, carefree community.
And this sense of community means that the crowd is a total joy to be a part of. Everyone feels like an old friend, grabbing you and pulling you in to screech the words of their favourite song into your face. Couples are dancing together, friends are bounding around the pit, parents have their young kids on their shoulders – everyone is in their element. Tracks old and new are treated with love – from All My Best Friends Are Metalheads to the fresh Anytime and Anywhere (a track that, in the bands’ own words, “would have been a hit if [it] was on Hello Rockview”), everyone is just happy to have the excuse to dance their hearts out.
As the night draws to a close, an undeniable fact has been proven – it is physically impossible to feel sadness when a man is vigorously playing a trombone 10 feet away from you. Ska punk is total magic.
Rating: 8/10
Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in Manchester from Polarise Visuals here:
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