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Jumpin' Ska High!

Why getting a good look at The Supertones ain't easy …

by maddog

Now I see the band.

Now I don't.

Now I see the band.

Now I don't …

It was like the crowd all around me was bouncing on a giant trampoline.

What they were doing was hopping to the upbeat, horn-driven tunes of The Supertones—one of those fun-loving Christian ska bands. Ska—influenced by a variety of musical styles, including reggae and punk—has very quickly become one of the hottest sounds in pop music.

And The Supertones may be the hottest ska band to hit the Christian music scene. At the concert I attended, the band headlined a show that drew two sold-out crowds. And the band's popularity won it a spot as the opening act for Audio Adrenaline's multi-city "Zombie" tour this winter. (Hey, guess who plays the horns on Audio A's new album?)

Yeah, The Supertones' sound is big. Very big. And attracts all kinds of music lovers. Fans of more "mainstream" acts, like Newsboys and Rebecca St. James, can't seem to get enough of the band's groovin', bounce-inducing beat.

And with strong roots in the punk and skate scene, the music certainly attracts fans with multi-colored hair and skateboards. Of course, many guy fans come dressed in skinny black ties, white shirts and black dress slacks—typical ska apparel. (Oh, yeah, and at the show I attended, there was one guy with plastic Viking horns for headgear. Weird.)

No doubt about it, ska is party-down, have-a-ton-of-fun kind of music. And when fans aren't bouncing, they're "skanking"—which is sort of like being in a boxing match with an invisible Munchkin. Arms swinging low, and legs giving a kick here and there. (Hey, during the concert, I got kicked and punched a few times—probably says something about my height, huh?)

But as fun as ska is, The Supertones do have a serious side, though. In the middle of the band's set, drummer Jason Carson took center stage, picked up an acoustic guitar, and led the crowd in several worship songs. He followed up his "praise set" with a mini-sermon on getting in tune with God's purpose for your life.

As for the lyrics, the band's latest album, The Supertones Strike Back (BEC), encourages listeners to dive deep into God's grace ("Grace Flood"), get totally committed ("Resolution") and hang in there when times get tough ("Perseverance of the Saints").

"We are here to serve God and put him first," Jason told me prior to the concert. "The whole point of this band is to see Christians grow closer to Christ, and to see non-Christians come to know him. Period."

And their fans are definitely having a hoppin' good time along the way. Period.

in other ska news . …

A great big pat on the back goes to Five Iron Frenzy for taking part in the "Rock Your Socks Off" tour this past winter. If you wanted to get into the concert, you had to bring along a pair of wool socks—which were later donated to the homeless. Joining fif on this worthy tour were alternative rock bands The Altered and Echoing Green. This wasn't the first time fif's duel label, Five Minute Walk and Sarabellum Records, has sponsored tours to help the homeless—and to increase awareness of this terrible problem. In the past, the label has used concerts to collect blankets and jackets for homeless shelters. Putting action to your faith—now that's something to sing about!

Copyright © 1998 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail clmag@CampusLife.net March/April 1998. Page22

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