Less Than Jake - UK Winter Circus - 1st March at O2 Academy Brixton 01/03/26

Featuring The Bouncing Souls, The Aquabats! and The Barstool Preachers.

The Winter Circus is so much more than just a great line-up of ska punk artists; it was full-on chaos with an amazing community of fans.

I wouldn't usually be reviewing squashed up to the barricade, I started out near the middle, yet everyone there was so chatty to one another, getting each other involved, and later protecting us smaller folk from the crowd surfers. It was impossible not to get swept up in the vibe! By the time Less Than Jake were on, the entire standing area was practically one giant pit, leaving it a night to remember before we even got to the music and stage design. But let's start from the beginning!

The Bar Stool Preachers - Brighton's answer to quintessential British ska punk

The show started with a set by the amazing The Bar Stool Preachers, and from the first riff, frontman Tom McFaull's energy and confidence projected to the entire venue. Forming in 2014, they were the youngest band on the line-up, but their performance did not allude to this! Confidently starting a call and response in the chorus of 'Suicide Girl', McFaull had the crowd loosened up, pits started, and the atmosphere buzzing.

The bands chemistry together on stage gave entertainment during the songs and in between: "Where in the Pat Butcher did you find that jacket?" McFaull points to Thomas Gibbs' leopard print jacket. "If you find it in the tour van, burn it!" (Us Brits love an Eastender's reference!). And the taunts didn't stop at just band members, speaking to the crowd, "How's being over 40? Let's have a knees up!" It's clear they understand their demographic and play their strengths to this; however there was also a large portion of the crowd being under 30 who were still joining the knees up, enjoying Ska the way it should be enjoyed. Even if some of the audience hadn't seen or heard of this band before, you wouldn't have known that they were a support act rather than the headliner, with crowd chants along to 'Bar Stool Preacher' and other songs. The setlist was well curated, carrying the energy song to song, with the band easily filling the huge Brixton stage with their presence. If you want a good night to enjoy a classic Ska-Punk sound from some fresh faces, I highly recommend you catch them at their next show! They are currently stepping away from the labels to crowdfund the next album 'Party Eternal', so if you want to help support them whilst also getting some amazing perks such as vinyl and even a private show! Just click the link below. The Bar Stool Preachers album crowd funder here

The Aquabats! - The world's greatest superhero rock band

No, you're not having a strange fever dream about The Wiggles taking a new direction on stage, that's The Aquabats!, California's answer to "What would spring break mixed with punk sound like?". Formed in 1994, the band have seen a change in members over the years, even starting out with Travis Barker on drums before he left to join Blink-182, but have carried their comedic superhero persona. They even branched out for a 3-season live-action TV series, 'The Aquabats! Supershow!', which won them a Daytime Emmy Award. So it's easy to see why they have become a cult classic in the pop-punk, ska and rock scene, even having members of the crowd in their own Aquabats! outfits on the night. Inflatable sharks were thrown into the crowd upon the band's entrance for 'The Shark Fighter!', definitely a memorable sight seeing them bouncing high in the air whilst the crowd jumped and danced along. These were later joined with giant inflatable pizza slices, which were ridden by crowd surfers during 'Pizza Day' and then giant beach balls. Aquabats! provide a full-on party, not just a gig. Band chemistry on stage doesn't even need to be spoken about; these guys love what they are doing, and their spirit pours out. Finishing on 'Pool Party', singer The MC Bat Commander jumped into the crowd to sing the song, being swallowed by the fans as they erupted, singing alongside him whilst passing around giant beach inflatables. If you want a feel-good show with party atmosphere, go check them out at their next show or festival; it's a full unique experience you won't forget.

The Bouncing Souls - New Jersey's punk-rock veterans

Forming in 1989, New Jersey's The Bouncing Souls hold a solid position in the punk-rock scene and ooze the confidence that comes with 37 years of experience. Starting the set with 'Manthem', the atmosphere of the venue chilled down from The Aquabats!, but this didn't last long. It was clear that there were fans here for The Bouncing Souls. The crowd surfers were constant, multiple mosh pits were continuous, and the singing from the crowd matched the level of the band. Even when things got rough with people falling down, pit etiquette was adhered to, with everyone making sure people were helped up and kept safe rather than using the opportunity to get closer to the front. During 'Lean on Sheena', Lead vocalist Greg Attonito pointed the mic to the crowd for them to sing the lyrics, a chorus chanted and echoed around the venue. Debuting a new song was the only time The Bouncing Souls had the room "semi-quiet" before erupting into a round of applause. Attonito took the time to walk along the barricade, greeting fans with handshakes to show his appreciation during the set, proving that no matter how long your band has been going, respecting the fans is appreciated by everyone there. Taking a moment to sit on the front of the stage and soak in the atmosphere, you could see the appreciation Attonito had for the passion being bounced back towards the band. If classic punk-rock is your thing, add The Bouncing Souls to your playlist.

Less Than Jake - Nostalgia in a bottle

Want to be thrown back to the era of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4, American Pie and '90s Warped Tour? Go to a Less Than Jake show! Formed in 1992, Less Than Jake have stuck to their signature punk-rock ska style that you can't stand still to, and this gig showed that the vibe is still just as sought after as it was in the 90's and 2000's. The circus theme ran onto the stage set-up, bright circus imagery and lighting matching the band's upbeat energy and sounds. As soon as the first notes of saxophone and trombone joined the strong basslines and catchy riffs of 'Nervous In The Alley', the crowd's feet refused to stop moving. At one point, even one of the security was called up on stage as it was noticed he was singing along to every word, despite this usually being frowned upon by the bosses. Lead singer Chris DeMakes has the crowd chant the man's name before giving him a hug on stage, sliding back of the stage looking starstruck. The setlist flowed seamlessly, mixing up songs across albums but including fan favourites such as 'All My Best Friends Are Metalheads' and 'The Rest Of My Life', with the crowd getting more riled up with each song. As the entire middle section of downstairs turned into conjoining mosh pits, people were getting squashed further to the front, but fans were looking out for each other to make sure no one was getting hurt, and the venue was hot on passing out water between songs or if requested. Wakey inflatable arm men popped up at the back of the stage, and a toilet paper gun fired out over the crowd, adding more to the crazy atmosphere of the show. Final thoughts? Amazing music, fantastic community atmosphere and a show I won't forget for a while! Less Than Jake setlist: Nervous in the Alley

History of a Boring Town

Automatic

Lie to Me

Last One Out of Liberty City

All My Best Friends Are Metalheads

Walking Pipebomb

Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts

The Science of Selling Yourself Short

Help Save the Youth of America From Exploding

Happyman

9th at Pine

Sunny Side

The Rest of My Life

The Ghosts of Me and You

Plastic Cup Politics

Encore:

The Brightest Bulb Has Burned Out / Screws Fall Out

Look What Happened

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