Old Politics of Skinheads

Soma owner Len Paul says because two recent local ska-band shows on his side stage sold out, next month he'll present a local ska concert on his main stage for the first time. (The rooms have capacities of 500 and 2000, respectively.)

"There is a resurgence in ska," says Paul. "There is a whole new generation of kids who are not preoccupied with the style of ska and the old politics of skinheads.... Kids just want to have a good time without wondering where the next punch is coming from."

"This year there are more ska bands on the Warped Tour than in the last five years," says Tom Voris, founder/singer/guitarist of the Fabulous Rudies. Besides his band, ska stalwarts such as the Toasters, Fishbone, Mustard Plug, Big D and the Kids Table, and (locals) Buck-O-Nine are booked to play the annual concert that hits Coors Amphitheatre on August 24.

The accompanying caveat of being added to the Warped Tour is that the Rudies will cook the food for all the bands after every show on the 46-city tour; they are the "barbecue band." Voris, a high school economics teacher, says he doesn't mind.

"We only get paid $300 [per show], but you get $1000 in tips each day on the average.... We get to play on the Ernie Ball stage. You have the main stage and then you have our stage, which is the next size down. This is not one of the other smaller stages. This is the first time they let the barbecue band play on a medium-sized stage."

Other local bands on the 2007 Warped Tour include Pepper and As I Lay Dying.