Spread the Social Love:

Review & Photos: Reel Big Fish w/New Town Kings @ Colchester Arts Centre [Live]

14th August 2012 // "it's great to see a band which don't take themselves too seriously, but also don't consider themselves a joke either"

by LauraPhoto, August 17th, 2012 and has been Read 753 times.
Last Edited by: LauraPhoto August 18th, 2012.

Follow @laurahphoto

It's not very often that the town of Colchester gets many live gigs. So tonight's show is an absolute treat, with long-running American ska-punk legends Reel Big Fish selling out (no pun intended) the converted church venue, the Arts Centre. It's one of the sweatiest nights of my life, and also one of the most fun gigs I've been to in a while, and despite Reel Big Fish being relative veterans of their genre, they can still get a crowd going like no others.

Support comes from one of Colchester's finest bands, New Town Kings. Playing to a crowd who treat them like heroes, their excellent blend of ska and reggae certainly gets everyone in the dancing mood tonight. Ska music is certainly a lot of fun, and the vibe in here tonight is set by the blistering set by this local band, who have something cool and quirky about them. After their set everyone rushes for the doors to gasp for some well needed air, and I hear someone say “and that's just the support band.” How many support bands can get a reaction like that?






The venue has become like a sauna, and hell, is it about to get a lot hotter. As Reel Big Fish take to the stage, the crowd erupts into a volcano of excitement. The six-piece band led by vocalist Aaron Barrett seem to be having the time of their lives tonight, treating the audience to old favourites such as 'Everything Sucks' and 'I Want Your Girlfriend To Be My Girlfriend' as well as light-hearted new songs such as 'Everyone Else Is An Asshole' and 'Punisher'. They whizz through their twenty year catalogue, and the audience love it.

LISTEN // Reel Big Fish - 'Everyone Else Is An Asshole'

Everyone is on their feet, every guy has their shirt off, and just about everyone is singing along during the awesome cover of 'Brown Eyed Girl', chaos is created during their cover of Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' and cups are in the air in honour of Barrett's 'favourite beverage in the world', the fan favourite 'Beer'. It makes me wonder why I haven't paid more attention to this band, who still have a large following and sell out shows twenty years after forming.





The air seemingly getting muggier as the night goes on, but this doesn't stop the crowd wanting more, and the encore was just brilliant. The band's most famous hit 'Sell Out' solidifies this gig as one of the most fun for a while, it's a singalong classic, and the crowd here in Colchester are dancing the night away. We come to the conclusion with the awesome ska cover of 'Take On Me', and with light-hearted covers like that, it's great to see a band which don't take themselves too seriously, but also don't consider themselves a joke either.

WATCH // Reel Big Fish - 'Sell Out'

Tonight was a night that I discovered that you can literally sweat from every part of your body. It took me back to my teenage years, listening to punk rock for the first time in my bedroom, and certainly had me digging into Reel Big Fish' back catalogue. It's been a while since I've been to a gig where near about everyone has had such a great time, and this is proof the town of Colchester needs a lot more gigs.