Very few bands are around for more than a few years at best. The combination of long hours together, battling egos, travel sickness from incessant touring and other “creative differences” sink a lot of great acts after just a few albums. That’s why it’s insanely remarkable that The Pietasters have been together since 1990 and are still recording and touring, captivating diehard fans and newcomers alike.
Hailing out of independent rock mainstay Washington D.C., this ska-punk band gathered much of their inspiration from established acts in the same vein like The Mighty Might Bosstones, The Skatalites, Madness, and The Specials.
The Pietasters
After conquering the D.C. scene with regular performances in the city’s essential venues like the beloved 9:30 Club (where Henry Rollins recently emceed the guys anniversary show), the band took the next natural step and began touring nationally in support of acts like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, who they were only listening to a few short years before.
And woah boy, good thing they did because a pop/ska/punk paragon known as Tim Armstrong took a liking to the band’s instantly catchy sound and DIY commitment and signed them to Hellcat records, a subsidiary of the iconic Epitaph label during that fateful tour.
Bands like The Pietasters pull of a trick that many have executed poorly in the past, and that is the artful incorporation of reggae elements into a guitar/bass/drums rock format. Add a bright horn section, some catchy, accessible lyrics and a unwavering commitment to making the audience dance and you’ve got a great act with a sound that has lasted well over two decades now.
The Pietasters are veterans of AP, perhaps most notably in recent years with a performance at The Bouncing Souls Home For The Holiday’s Annual Extravaganza in ’09. They’re back again and are hitting The Stone Pony this Thursday, April 28th with great support acts Lost In Society, Bad Case Of Big Mouth, Political Party Crashers, and East Coast Black Out. And as a VERY SPECIAL TREAT, H.R. front man to the seminal punk group Bad Brains, will be giving a very special performance, too. I am predicting in my infinite rock wisdom that he will show up in The Pietasters set, more than likely. Sounds pretty historic to me!
The One, The Only, The Legendary H.R. Of Bad Brains
YOU can win a pair of tickets to the show by entering your name below! I’ve got 5 whole pairs to giveaway, so don’t say I never gave you anything! Winners will be chosen at random at noon on Wednesday. Good luck, and see you there!
The Pietasters @ The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ
Thursday 4/28
Doors 6:30 PM/ All Ages
XOXO
Ang
