Less Than Jake Heats Up A Chilly December Night

New Haven’s legendary Toad’s Place played host to a night of raucous horn-infused punk, ska, rock, etc. Less Than Jake has always been a local favorite so the size of the evening’s crowd was no surprise. The house was packed!

Those who arrived early were treated to an area favorite, Keep Flying. The band is appropriately named as their energy level is sky-high from the start of their set to the finish. Their room to move freely was inhibited with the drum kit in the middle of the stage. However, these plucky musicians weren’t letting any hurdles get in their way. They roamed the stage like caged animals at feeding time. Keep Flying is one of those bands that are as fun to watch as they are to listen to. They blend their horn section along with their guitar work seamlessly. Interesting note, the trombonist used a valve trombone as opposed to the traditional slide. I’m sure that saved a few stage collisions. They are a band that tosses their energy over the photo pit to the crowd and their fans double it in return.

Cliffdiver from Oklahoma continued to turn up the heat. Every stop on this tour brought them to a city they’ve never played. I can say for certain that they have left a trail of new fans in their wake! The 7 person emo pop punk band brought their A-game to New Haven. They had the crowd dancing throughout their set with their dual lead vocal attack. Briana Wright’s braids seemed to defy gravity as she thrashed about the stage. Half-shirted Joey Duffy handled vocals from the other side of the stage. As if the stage wasn’t full enough, they brought a couple members of Keep Flying to truly pack the boards.

Cliffdiver is on tour promoting their freshman album release, “Exercise Your Demons“. Their songs range from light and humorous to deep soul-searching refrains all with a powerful edge. Their style is that of… Cliffdiver. They have their own sound that is captivating. Combine their sound with their stage presence and you have a real winner of a band on your hands!

Rounding out the night were the darlings of ska-punk, Less Than Jake. What can be said about these fun-loving musical miscreants that hasn’t been said? They have five members and a drum kit at the back of the stage. Therefore, they have a lot of room to roam, and roam they do! Saxophonist and Connecticut’s own JR Wasilewski and drummer Matt Yonker remain fairly fixed to their spots. However, Trombonist Buddy Schaub, bassist Roger Lima, and guitarist Chris DeMakes make up for them with their whirling dervish-like activity. Buddy left the stage at one point to play for a wheelchair-bound fan and a youngster standing off to the side. (see photo)

LTJ is a fun-loving band that is serious about its music. However, they aren’t serious about presenting it to their fans. They launch rolls of toilet paper into the audience which is a trademark of their show. They toss balloons into the crowd to the delight of their fans. This evening they were joined on stage by someone dressed in a red silk outfit and skull mask to assist with the balloons. Speaking of being joined on stage, Cliffdiver’s Briana joined them for a song that was a hit with the crowd.

This tour is obviously fun for all of the bands involved. Friendships are being made with all of the “guest spots” between the bands. Sadly, the tour is at its tail end. LTJ is one of the hardest touring bands in the US. Thus, there is no doubt they will be visiting a city near you in the coming year. I hope Keep Flying and Cliffdiver will be a regular on the touring circuit near you because they are two bands that you really need to see!