Hey kids!  The 2nd half of this episode is dedicated to Outsider Ska-  ska and reggae music that comes from outside the “Ska Scene”.  Stuff from big stars like Ringo and The Strokes plus Popcorn Ska and failed attempt at Top 40 Reggae.

As always, you can find the newest episode streaming for 2 weeks at KDHX.org

Artist / Song / Disk
Matt Wixson / Ska’s The Limit Theme / STL Themes
The Delegators / Movin ‘?n / Movin ‘?n EP
The Boss Beats / Return to Spider-Skull Island / The First EP
Vampire Weekend / Cousins / iTunes Session
Ken Boothe / A Change Must Come / A Change Must Come
The Gramophone Allstars / Sir Duke / Levitant A La Deriva
ALPHEUS / Always / FROM CREATION
High Times / Digue’m que ets per mi (Gimme a little sign) / Que No Acabi Mai!
The Playmates / While The Record Goes Around / Ska Ska Ska
The Slackers / No More Cryin’ (ska version) / Minha Menina / No More Cryin’
The Slackers / Feed My Girl Ska / Boss Harmony Sessions
The Slackers / Watch This / Lost And Found
Laurel Aitken / Reggae 69 / Reggae 69
The Impalers / Mr. Uppercut / Mr. Uppercut
Ocean 11 / Miss Understanding / Miss Understanding
The Soulsteppers / Victory Dance / Bout Time / Victory Dance
Steve Miller Band / Abracadabra / Abracadabra
Violent Femmes / Please Do Not Go / Violent Femmes
Dionne Bromfield / Foolish Little Girl / Introducing Dionne Bromfield
Tracey Dey / Ska-Doo-Dee-Yah / Doin’ The Popcorn Ska: Golden Oldies Vol 2
Todd Rundgren / Bang The Drum All Day / The Very Best Of Todd Rundgren
The Housemartins / Happy Hour / This is England ’86
Ringo Starr / No No Song / Very Best Of
The Angels / Jamaica Joe / Doin’ The Popcorn Ska: Golden Oldies Vol 2
The Strokes / Machu Picchu / Angles
Camper Van Beethoven / Yanqui Go Home / Telephone Free Landslide Victory
The Beatles / Don’t Pass Me By / White Album
Dead Milkmen / If You Love Someone, Set Them on Fire / Death Rides a Pale Cow: The Ultimate Collection
Amy Winehouse / Monkey Man / The Ska E.P.
Toño Quirazco / Jamaica Ska / Jamaica Ska
Julian Lennon / Too Late For Goodbyes / Vallote
Ian Gomm / Come On / Come On Ian Gomm
Nick Lowe / Somebody Cares For Me / The Old Magic
Wes Minster Five / Shakin’ The Blues / Shakin’ The Blues
Led Zeppelin / D’yer Mak’er / Houses of the Holy
Peter Nalitch / Guitarr / Guitarr
CSS / Alcohol / Cansei de Ser Sexy
Lily Allen / Smile / Later… with Jools Holland
Las Cuatro Monedas / Buena Suerte / Los Grandes Éxitos de las 4 Monedas

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In early November, psycho-ska legends MU330 announced on Facebook that they would play at the Firebird on New Year’s Eve with the lineup that recorded their first full length album Press. Former members John Kavanaugh and Matt Knobbe had not been part of the band in almost seventeen years, and the only songs the current lineup plays from Press are limited to “Hoosier Love” and “Stuff”. Shortly after, stories by the RFT (here and here) and St. Louis Magazine helped to get the word out about this noteworthy reunion. With the entire buzz surrounding the Press lineup, would this show be as good live as it seemed in theory?

Trash-punk by St. Louis’s Cross Examination and rock n’ roll supplied by the Holy Shakes from Hot Springs, AR got the crowd moving early on with an emphasis on heavy riffs, and loud, fast music. Of particular interest, Bill Solleder, lead singer of the Holy Shakes shared the story about how he first got a chance to see the Press lineup nineteen years ago in Lawrence, KS as they opened up for his old group, the Blue Meanies.

A little after 11:30, MU330 took the stage. John Kavanaugh stepped up last and sized up his approving audience professional wrestler style and Dan Potthast stated, “if it was written after 1993, we ain’t playin’ it” as the band broke into “Hoosier Love”. MU330 went on to play Press in track order through “Bagelbird” when a few moments after midnight, they did a countdown for the crowd and made sure the first full song heard in 2012 was “Press”.

As the night went on, each song filled the room with energy that’s hard to capture outside of their shows; a mix of people creating circle pits, jumping around, skanking and drinking beers between verse and chorus. The secret, if there were one to MU330’s live show, is that a group of friends know how to project the fun they seem to be having onstage to the audience. It’s a secret that becomes apparent as they jump around to their own songs, laugh, and share stories onstage about why shorts are no longer allowed in the band (thanks to John Kavanaugh). One lucky audience member received a Captain America mask after the band played “Captain”, and they even sang “Happy Brithday” to saxophonist Matt Knobbe who remarked how his gifts usually doubled as Christmas and birthday gifts. Trumpeter and trombonist Adam Hucke and Aaron Chandler of the Funky Butt Brass Band got a chance to share the stage for one of the encore songs “LA”, and the crowd was treated to the band’s version of The Police’s “Man In A Suitcase” as the last song of the night.

If MU330 as a band could have one New Year’s Resolution, I would sincerely hope it’s to play more live shows as time allows. That and hopefully finish up the Monster album.

SETLIST:
Hoosier Love
Fleeba
Stuff
Bagelbird
Press
Spilled My Drink
Didgits
Danska
Captain
Safety Boots
The Punisher/Downtown

ENCORE:
Happy Birthday (to Matt Knobbe)
Kong
LA (featuring Adam Hucke and Aaron Chandler of the Funky Butt Brass Band)
Wide Awake
Man In A Suitcase (The Police)

FYI: Stay tuned to valXcore’s YouTube channel for more videos from the evening in question. Here’s the video for “Hoosier Love”.

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Thanks for checking out another episode of Ska’s The Limit!  Ska and Reggae dominate the show as always, metered with some 2 Tone and 3rd Wave, plus I’ve snuck in a few Punk and Oi tracks to keep it interesting.

As usual, you’ve got 2 weeks to give the show a listen, before the whole thing self destructs. [Link to STL Archive]

Artist / Song / Disk
Various Artists / This Is Ska ! / Walt Rides Again
Toots and the Maytals / Louie Louie / Slatyam Stoot
Boss 501 / Na Na / Drinking With Boss 501
Jackie Mittoo / Killer Diller / The Keyboard King at Studio One
The Upsessions / Hold Me Belinda / Beat You Reggae
Pressure Point / Heart Like a Lion / Give ‘Em the Boot, Vol. 1
65 Mines Street / We Are 65 Mines Street / 65 Mines Street
Tommy McCook and The Supersonics / Thunderball / Street Corner: Ska Classics And The Original Rude Boy Sound
The Revivers / Reggae Fever / Reggae Fever [MD-6906]
The Gladiators / Sweet Soul Music / Trojan Mod Reggae Box Set
The Slackers / The Party / The Slackers And Friends
Open Season / Hey Darling / Louder!
Dropkick Murphys / Barroom Hero / Do or Die
The Toasters / Mr. Trouble / Skaboom!
Gangster Fun / Mario’s Hideout / Mashin’ Up The Nation: The Best Of American Ska – Volumes I And II
Dave & Ansel Collins / Nuclear Weapon / Trojan Mod Reggae Box Set Vol 2
U.K. SUBS / Warhead / This Is England
Ike Bennet & The Crystallites / Bombshell / Trojan Mod Reggae Box Set
Skankin’ Pickle / Thick Ass Stout / Live
The English Beat / Two Swords – Live / In Concert at the Royal Festival Hall
Symarip / Boots Were Made For Walking / Moonstompin’ At Club Ska
The Specials / Concrete Jungle / BBC Peel Sessions
Sham 69 / Hey Little Rich Boy / The Best Of Sham 69: Cockney Kids Are Innocent
Al Barry & The Cimarons / Morning Sun / Trojan British Box Set
Lord Kitchener / Kitch You’re So Sweet / Trojan Calypso Collection
Hortense Ellis / My Last Dance / Dancehall ’69: 40 Skinhead Reggae Rarities
Carlos Dingo / Mission Andalucia / Ska Is Dangerous
Dawn Penn / Are you There / 200% Dynamite
RED SOUL COMMUNITY / Hey Hey Uh! / Pump Reggae EP
Toots & The Maytals / 54-46 That’s My Number / Sweet And Dandy
Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Venders / Dancing Groove / Evening Time
Lloyd Charmers / In The Spirit / Dancehall ’69: 40 Skinhead Reggae Rarities
Dr. Ring-Ding / The Sticks / Jump Up’s Caribbean Sundown
Royal Roost / The Connection / demo

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