Live Review: Less Than Jake - O2 Ritz, Manchester - 03/04/2022
Bringing their iconic Ska-Punk sound across the Atlantic, the band embarked on their 30th anniversary tour, transforming the O2 Ritz back to mid 90’s Florida. As best described by Chris DeMakes himself, this did not feel like a Sunday.
Upon arrival there was a great sense of anticipation in the air of a crowd spanning three generations of families. Upon entry the floor was almost full as nobody wanted to pass up the ability to get a good spot. It was easy to see from the start the crowd were in great spirits. Starting off the night was Millie Manders & The Shutup who set the tone brilliantly and were one of the surprise packages of the evening. With a great message championing the importance of mental health awareness to boot, show could not have gotten off to a better start and the crowd was really behind them. This would not be the last we’d see of Millie through the evening.
Next up were The Toasters, part of the second wave of Ska in the states, who can be described as nothing less than legends within scene, since beginning in New York in 1981 their influence is undeniable. Playing through some of their extensive back catalogue of classics it was clear to see the decision to have them on the tour was a great one.
Finally for the supports was Skinny Lister, a folk punk outfit from London who entertained the crowd with their knee slapping anthems. The band played a fun setlist and followed on excellently from The Toasters. The drinks were definitely already flowing as they did their best to keep the crowd dancing and that’s exactly what they did.
During the interval the crew ripped away the curtains that had hidden half of the stage for the evening to reveal the bands icon “LTJ” signs and banners, bringing across a wave of nostalgia and further increasing the anticipation. The light show began and finally, the time had come for Less Than Jake to take to the stage. Walking out the boys were met with a rapturous sound from the audience which remained throughout. The calm dancing switched into explosive circle pits and endless bouncing. Whilst the band have been going for now all of 30 years, their energy and desire to put on a show has not faltered in the slightest. A highlight of the show was without a doubt their interactions with the crowd, talking to and bringing up onto the stage fans young and old, handing out beers and creating impromptu dance offs, undoubtably creating moments the lucky people will never forget. Before you could stop to take a breather, the band were leaving the stage for the obligatory gap before the encore, ending off the show with the classic “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads”.
Whilst the Ska-Punk genre might not be as heard of as it’s prior heydays, it’s nights like this that remind you that there will always be room for bands like Less Than Jake, for whom the desire to entertain and continue to write and release new music has kept them in the hearts of endearing fans over three decades and is showing no signs of this ending anytime soon.
Words by Thomas Maclachlan
