On Wednesday October 15 I made the one-hour trek down to Tacoma’s Jazzbones to see The Mad Caddies. After not playing here for nearly eight years, they played here twice this year. Tres bliss!
The Caddies were in top form, this time sporting a new trumpet player (Bobby Vesnave). No word on what happened to Keith Douglas, but it was mentioned Bobby had only been with them a couple weeks. This mattered not. He fit right in.
Front man Chuck Robertson is the ultimate emoter with succulent vocals and an energetic and charismatic style.
The band played most their best known songs like Coyote, Back Yard, and Weird Beard and it never ceases to amaze me how they can sing like pirates in one song, rock out in another, and play smooth reggae ska in another. Many in this tiny, packed like proverbial sardines club sang along word for word to many of the songs, but things got really wild when the band lit into Without You. That’s when I got slammed into a few times.
For their finale they played a raucous version of All American Badass (You’re so fucking wasted!) and as I looked around, I could not see anyone who wasn’t on their feet dancing. This is a band that gives all they’ve got on stage and have as much fun performing as their audience does watching them. This was a fabulous show and here’s to hoping for two more next year. Since many bands come around here once a year, I figure they owe us four more shows at least. I for one will attend every show they play in Seattle. They are ultimate ska and one of my all time favorite bands. Rounding out the remainder of Mad Caddies is Dustin Lanker on keys, Graham Palmer on bass, Todd Rosenberg on drums, Eduardo Hernandez on trombone, and Sascha Lazor on guitar.
Preceding the Caddies was a band called The Approach. To describe them in one word I’d have to say WOW! This Tacoma, WA band almost upstaged the Caddies. The Approach consist of Sam Morrow- Guitar, Bass Jeramey Abarca- Guitar, Vocals, Bass Joseph Abarca- Vocals Bret “Beo” Baile- Drums. Take hip hop vocals and add a ska reggae musical backdrop and that describes the music of The Approach. What would you call rap and ska — Skrap? Vocalist Joseph Abarca was all over the stage, prancing and strutting and at times jogging. He never was in one place for more than a half second. Part way through the show the bass player and guitarist swapped instruments, so this band also proved their versatility. These guys are not only stellar musicians, but talented entertainers. They had great interaction with the audience and everyone I talked to after their set was just as wowed as I was. I hope to see The Approach many more times.
Opening the evening was Mystic Arrows. This seven-piece from Seattle plays a more reggae based sound and tend to sing about marijuana a lot. Mystic Arrows are a young band and tight. Thing is, having never been stoned, I just can’t quite embrace straight up reggae. There was little audience interaction and although their set got a bit more lively toward the end, their endless songs about smoking MJ grew tiresome.
However, this was an all out fun night and I love Jazzbones.
