I love Five Iron Frenzy

[ovid9]

So, 10 years after they called it quits, they put out a kickstarter funded album (which sounds great) went on a successful tour and are hilarious and awesome as ever.

I finally got to see them live a couple weeks ago and they brought it. So much energy from a band of late 30s/early 40s. They were really tight, Reese only forgot a few of the words, and outside of a couple songs the sound was really good. (I think the soundman was struggling early on to figure out how to do a live mix of a band with horns.)

Here's a track from the new album:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYjmz19s-Lg[/video]

It has a wolverine Abraham Lincoln and Jesus with a machine gun. What more can you ask for in a music video?

[nightflameauto]

Polite: I really wanted to give this a chance, but it just hits every single wrong button on my list. Which makes me a bit sad, because it does seem like they're trying to do something at least a little original and not just carbon-copying someone else's template.

Impolite: This feels like a hipster version of that band dunning-kruger worshipped.

[benjamin801]

I opened for them twice right around 1999-2000. I was in a ska-punk band at the time, and was in the next state over from them, so it was a natural first/last stop on their tours. Nice guys. The second time we played with them, they had a whole bill of other Christian bands traveling with them, though, and it was kind of lame.

[ovid9]

Polite: I really wanted to give this a chance, but it just hits every single wrong button on my list. Which makes me a bit sad, because it does seem like they're trying to do something at least a little original and not just carbon-copying someone else's template.

Impolite: This feels like a hipster version of that band dunning-kruger worshipped.

They started as pretty much a 3rdwave ska band back in the mid 90s, then progressed more to a rock with horns band over the years. They are goofy as hell but Reese is also one of my favorite lyricists ever. They certainly aren't for everyone and no amount of other's dislike will change my feelings.

However, mention d-k is a bit harsh.

I opened for them twice right around 1999-2000. I was in a ska-punk band at the time, and was in the next state over from them, so it was a natural first/last stop on their tours. Nice guys. The second time we played with them, they had a whole bill of other Christian bands traveling with them, though, and it was kind of lame.

Awesome! That would've been around Quantity is Job #1 I think?

Yeah, on their retrospective DVD Reese talks about the Skallelujah tours with The Supertones and The Insyderz. He didn't mind the first one, but by the third time he was more than a little burnt out on that. FIF played Christian Fests and churches some, but they were far more interested in trying to be out in the same circuit as Less than Jake, Reel Big Fish, etc.

I wish I could've seen them back then, but this show was worth the 5 hour round trip.

[benjamin801]

Awesome! That would've been around Quantity is Job #1 I think?

Yeah, on their retrospective DVD Reese talks about the Skallelujah tours with The Supertones and The Insyderz. He didn't mind the first one, but by the third time he was more than a little burnt out on that. FIF played Christian Fests and churches some, but they were far more interested in trying to be out in the same circuit as Less than Jake, Reel Big Fish, etc.

I wish I could've seen them back then, but this show was worth the 5 hour round trip.

Yep, that was the Quantity tour at least one of those times. It was a uniquely cool position, being in the most popular ska-punk band (we eventually transitioned to "fast rock w/horns" too) in Utah in the late 90s/early 00s. Ska, ska-punk, and similar bands I opened for in 1998-2002 (note this is legit shows, not counting playing the locals stage at Warped Tour or shit like that):

Five Iron Frenzy (x2)
The Aquabats (x3)
The Hippos
Mad Caddies
Jeffries Fan Club (x2)
Let's Go Bowling
Home Grown (x4)
The Amazing Crowns (x2)
Buck o' Nine
Enemy You*
Millencolin
The Used*
Automatic 7*
Pulley
Strung Out
The Lawrence Arms*

...and I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch.

[rock flag and eagle]

Awesome! That would've been around Quantity is Job #1 I think?

Yeah, on their retrospective DVD Reese talks about the Skallelujah tours with The Supertones and The Insyderz. He didn't mind the first one, but by the third time he was more than a little burnt out on that. FIF played Christian Fests and churches some, but they were far more interested in trying to be out in the same circuit as Less than Jake, Reel Big Fish, etc.

I wish I could've seen them back then, but this show was worth the 5 hour round trip.

Yep, that was the Quantity tour at least one of those times. It was a uniquely cool position, being in the most popular ska-punk band (we eventually transitioned to "fast rock w/horns" too) in Utah in the late 90s/early 00s. Ska, ska-punk, and similar bands I opened for in 1998-2002 (note this is legit shows, not counting playing the locals stage at Warped Tour or shit like that):

Five Iron Frenzy (x2)
The Aquabats (x3)
The Hippos
Mad Caddies
Jeffries Fan Club (x2)
Let's Go Bowling
Home Grown (x4)
The Amazing Crowns (x2)
Buck o' Nine
Enemy You*
Millencolin
The Used*
Automatic 7*
Pulley
Strung Out
The Lawrence Arms*

...and I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch.

nice list of bands from the day, I was fronting a ska/punk band too in 95-97, here's my list of some bands we opened for
FYP
Home Grown
Luna Chicks
Mustard Plug
Reel Big Fish
Citizen Fish
Suicide Machines
The Hippos
Slow Gherkin
Blue Meanies
Johnny Socko
Link 80
Slightly Stupid
Bouncing Souls
The Joykiller
The Swingin Utters

[benjamin801]

nice list of bands from the day, I was fronting a ska/punk band too in 95-97, here's my list of some bands we opened for
FYP
Home Grown
Luna Chicks
Mustard Plug
Reel Big Fish
Citizen Fish
Suicide Machines
The Hippos
Slow Gherkin
Blue Meanies
Johnny Socko
Link 80
Slightly Stupid
Bouncing Souls
The Joykiller
The Swingin Utters

Hehe, I knew I'd forgotten a few. Add Link 80 and Blue Meanies to mine as well.

More recently, I opened for Jack Grisham's (ex-Joykiller, ex-TSOL) new band last summer. A Sunday night in SLC = about 12 people in attendance. He was totally cool about it, though.

[ovid9]

That's awesome guys!

Oh and bump to share teh awesomeness.

[RSBro]

I loved them when I was in HS... their first 3 albums or so-ish. Had no idea they were still around and making anything new.