Few bands could live up to coming on stage to the Superman theme. Reel Big Fish is undeniably one of them. With unremitting infectious energy, the band lark their way around the stage throughout the gig. There’s a fair amount of coordination of the swaying of their instruments and/or leg movements, plenty of banter, and every song makes you keep on dancing. This is ska punk at its most ludicrously entertaining.
The gig featured quite a few tracks from their most recent studio album of assorted covers – Fame, Fortune, and Fornication – along with some of their own original material. Reel Big Fish don’t do slow numbers, from beginning to end it’s upbeat and fast. The evening entered the realm of the truly bizarre when Brian Klemm (as seen on the cover of their last album) joined the band in his ‘heavy metal attire’ – read very tight leather trousers minus certain elements and black wig so high it would make Amy Winehouse proud. Cue even more entertaining prancing by the band.
However Reel Big Fish are infinitely more than a set of comedians with instruments; they are also all immensely talented. Frontman Aaron Barrett plays his guitar behind his head at some points, there probably isn’t an instrument that Scott Klopfenstein hasn’t played, and the rest of the band are spot-on throughout. Towards the end of the gig, when you have reached the stage of doubting that the band could pull anything else out of the bag, along came the drum solo. It brought the entire audience to a standstill. It was simply amazing.
Reel Big Fish put on a show that no-one can forget in a hurry. Whatever expectations people went with, they were trounced by music played with incessant enthusiasm. They’ll make you forget tortured indie rock and embrace happiness, entertainment and fun