Syracuse Ska Forum

Right now its after 2am and I'm hanging with The Cohorts at Brandy's place. They've had a wacky, but fun day ...

Look, I was going to cancel the show a week ago, because there was one week left and we still had no openers. So, we had very late publicity on top of everything else -- no Verbs or RazSum, no well known bands playing, an early Sunday matinee, multiple graduation parties and of course, it was Father's Day.

Bottomline. we made a strategic decison to pull the plug on the Westcott show and move downtown instead. The Cohorts opened for some other bands at the Half Penny Pub in Armory Square at 10pm. They made some interesting new friends.

We made some dumb mistakes tonight, but we learn and move on. I'm quite happy we worked it out and kept my losses down and got The Cohorts a fun show, albeit not the one we originally intended. They'll be back in the fall and the rest of you will see them.

It's late and I need some sleep. Behave yourself while I do.

they are an awesome band, very nice guys too, glad to hear it worked out.

now that is responsiblility in its finest, no finger pointed,



thas why danny runs things

Just to clarify ...

I don't "run things". I'm just the head instigator. There are many ska instigators in Syracuse, but I seem to be the one who organizes most of the others.

More often than not, there is incredible teamwork that makes ska shows happen locally. I get too much credit, honestly. Without the many others doing their part, most shows would not be successful. I can't do most of what I do by myself and I'm always amazed how many people really make this scene work how it does. I've been blessed to be around so many really cool people who give so much of themselves for very little rewards. I really love all of you a lot.

The Cohorts got to play at the Half Penny Pub last night because the promoter knows and likes the Syracuse ska scene. The band wanted to play here because they think this is a great scene. And the scene is so good because all of you are awesome.

Sorry for getting kinda mushy ...

not to be a total dickwad... but if you got the cohorts cd can u send it to me

i'll sell it to you (thats even worse)

That Cohorts cd is so killer, it made it worth me sitting at the westcott for several hours with nothing to do except go across the street to the twelve brothers' and play my trombone for anyone within earshot.

I would suggest that anyone who has a chance to pick that cd up do so because in my opinion, there is not one bad song on that disc, which i find to be extremely rare.

I wish i couldve heard them live, how was it?

They're very energetic, as you'd expect. I got to see them both at Big Orange Bonanza and at the Half Penny Pub in downtown Syracuse. Brandy saw them at those shows too, plus at Valentines in Albany the next day. I don't think "reggae-ska" is a very accurate moniker for them. They're closer to The Toasters, I'd say, whatever you want to call that (some say "2-tone" and some say "3rd wave"). They remind me of the harder side of The Pietasters.

On a different note, I hear they had more fun in Syracuse, than Albany. More kids saw them in Albany, but they didn't really react to them, I'm told. Between Francine, Jen, Brandy and that crazy big drunk guy, they got a very enthusiastic reaction in Syracuse (the tabletop dancing was especially noteworthy). Even those not dancing seemed to really like them a lot (like the dark-haired grrl with all the tattoos). Now if only James had skanked to them, that'd have been wildly memorable.

I was way too tired at that point to skank much myself.

I can also testify that they're all big practical jokers ...

they do play some reggae though... i dont know what there sets consisted of up there but when they play everything they can, there is some reggae in it...

i consider them 2 tone/3rd wave but i guess its arguable... they also have some dub bridges occasionally, notably in the end of "demons" when they play it live...

the toasters or pietasters thing is pretty accurate accept i would say they are alot like toasters meet planet smashers because they never use power chords or anything, its ure ska, and like i said, they DO have some dub in them...