BY AUDREY WILSON
Less Than Jake‘s winter tour kicked off in Downtown Athens at 40 Watt Club with Cliffdiver and Keep Flying supporting. The ska veterans brought energy and humor to the stage making it a show that everyone would enjoy, regardless of age or genre preference.
To start the night, Keep Flying (Long Island, NY) took the stage bringing two vocalists, two guitars, bass, drums, a saxophone, and a trombone. For 30 minutes, the band played while fans rolled through the doors as the show started earlier than expected. This band was a prime example of bandmates enjoying each other and what they were doing. The chemistry was evident, they interacted with each other and the crowd, and successfully set the tone for the rest of the show. Not to mention, it was their first time ever playing in Athens, GA, making it a memorable set for them to play. After their set, band members watched from the crowd, even stopping to chat with me about the photos I was taking.
Next to take the stage was Emo-Pop band Cliffdiver. This band really stood out to me because of their passion for mental health and suicide prevention. They mastered having fun on stage and bringing energy while targeting tough topics. Just like Keep Flying, it was their first time playing in Athens. Female vocalist, Briana Wright, made it clear to the crowd that she was super excited to hop in the mosh pit during Less Than Jake’s set!
Finally, Less Than Jake started their set and from there, the crowd danced, laughed, and moshed harder than most crowds I have seen. Less Than Jake MASTERED crowd interaction, even making a joke to me about my camera looking “old fashioned”. Between songs, band members made jokes with each other and the crowd as well as changing into vests that they found sitting in the green room. They played older songs, new songs, and they are about to celebrate 30 years of being a band. At a Less than Jake show, you can expect to see inflatable tube men, toilet paper guns, skeletons two-stepping, and balloons so one can say it won’t be dull.
SETLIST:
Happyman
9th at Pine
Plastic Cup Politics
Automatic
Kehoe
Last One Out of Liberty City
The Science of Selling Yourself Short
History of a Boring Town
Look What Happened
Lie To Me
My Very Own Flag
The Ghosts of Me and You
Best Wishes to your Black Lung
All My Best Friends are Metalheads
The High Cost of Low Living
Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sellouts
Gainesville Rock City