Don’t cry kids, ska isn’t dead – it’s on tour

The Ska is Dead Tour’s mission is to prove just the opposite. It aims to prove that ska is… The Ska is Dead Tour’s mission is to prove just the opposite. It aims to prove that ska is alive and kicking. With this tour, they plan on dodging mainstream music and proving to the world that the ska scene is more than alive and this tour will bring it to thousands of kids at a time.

The first band in the lineup is the king of ska-punk — Catch 22. Catch 22 was formed in 1996 when three friends, Chris Greer, Ryan Eldred and Kevin Gunther, got interested in forming a band to add to the growing popularity of ska music. They just released their first album since 2000, Dinosaur Sounds, which seems like a wink to all those who pushed ska out of the mainstream. They have continued to sell out shows and sell records because of their incredible and vivacious live performances.

Next on the Ska is Dead lineup is the oldest veterans of ska on this tour, Mustard Plug. They have been through a radical change in lineups over the 13 years they have been together, but the heart and energy of their music has lived on. They keep playing anywhere they can and releasing great music just so they can continue to do what they love — before and long after the ska hype was built up. They haven’t released an album since their 2002 release, Yellow #5, but their constant touring keeps them on the map. They want the world to look past all the emo and alternative that makes people sad and bitter, and make them all smile again through their music.

Next on the bill is Big D and the Kids Table. They are holding on to ska with all of their might. They are still playing on, even though they are one of the last surviving ska bands to come out of Boston. Formed in 1995, right before ska hit the mainstream, the 10-piece band released their first full-length album, Good Luck, in 2000. In 2002 they released The Gypsy Hill EP and have been on tour ever since. They have made hard sacrifices to keep doing what they love, including sleeping on floors and couches, but they refuse to let anyone stop them from doing what they were born to do: play good ska.

Rounding out the lineup are The Planet Smashers. Formed in 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, The Planet Smashers, with their infectious melodies filled with touches of pop and infused with a tight horn section, take pride in themselves for being one of the lasting ska acts. They have established themselves worldwide and their latest release, Mighty, proves that The Planet Smashers are going to keep their infectious melodies going strong.

The Ska is Dead Tour is going to be an explosively energetic good time. So get your butt off the couch, turn off MTV, and have a real concert experience. As said on www.skaisdead.com, the tour’s official Web site, “Skank and have fun. Tonight is ours.”

Catch the Ska Is Dead Tour featuring Catch 22, Mustard Plug, Big D and the Kids Table and The Planet Smashers on Wednesday at The World. This all-ages show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For tickets and more information, call (412) 642-2941.