Badfish, Great Show!

Tropidelic from Kent, OH kicked off the night by performing the song, “Police State”. This is a perfect song reflecting our current state of affairs: a shit storm of broken government combined with apathetic and greedy citizens. While some work hard to achieve the American dream, their efforts are stifled by the systems in place to keep the status quo. All of the issues brought to our attention with a side of police brutality. The guys preformed the song with a healthy dose of anger mixed with a happy\tragic energy. Justin Roberts gave a live art performance while the band was grooving. He painted to the beat revealing a trippy, tropical landscape full of rich red tones and an organic skull set betwixed two mountains. “Bad Cookie” is smooth jam that sounded so good in nasty way. Tropidelic created the funky, reggae-infused, hip-hop peppered beats that carried the fans through the night.

Tropidelic will be back in Columbus on their From the Deep Tour on March 22^nd with Broccoli Samurai. Check out more of Justin Roberts badass artwork @jrobertsarts .

 

Lead singer and guitar player Gabo, from Fayuca, sat down with us and spoke about the inspiration behind some of their songs.

“Marialena” is a song that talks about a conflict between a man and a woman. A woman that has been hurt and is not letting him into her heart and the man just wants to love and fix everything wrong with this girl… After I write a song, and I sit back and read through the lyrics. I think wow I said that so perfectly… My lyrics are painting this picture of a woman who’s smiling, but you see that there is more to her than this smile. There is something inside of her you want to fix. That’s what makes me enjoy singing this song so much. This conflict that I think many people have gone through in relationships or with even themselves,… It’s just such a beautiful melody… I go through this conflict all the time. I am a lover you know like, I love everything and I love madly and deeply”

“Por Que Seguir” is a political song, that’s inspiration came from Gabo’s visit to Mexico and a drunken conversation he had late one night in a bar with another man.

”This is about how everyone is poor in Mexico, but you’re paying these fees at roadside toll booths so that the roads can be fixed, but they aren’t. The money doesn’t get allocated to the places it should and the government is corrupt. Everybody is pissed, the oppression is real and the people are powerless… “Por Que Seguir” translates to, “why should we continue?”… This song was inspired by the oppression people are experiencing from the government even in the United States.”

Gabo went on to talk about the amount of love the band has received from their fans while on the West coast tour with Badfish. They will be hitting the recording studio this summer to lay down tracks for their fifth album. This record will be Fayuca’s first independent project without the aid of a record company to allow a more relaxed and creative tone to their work.

 

Fayuca’s set was a full fifty minutes. Fans sang along to songs like “Marialena”, and “Por Que Seguir”. The crowd’s energy was fueled by the heavy beating of drums and percussion. Fans were seen shaking their hips and wiggling their booties to the music. Fayuca ended their time on stage with “Shoot it Up”. Gabo spoke from the heart about this song and how his good friend’s life was cut short by addiction. He also talked about how we should all live our lives to the fullest, when you find something good, hold onto it! Take all you can from this life.

 

Badfish’s performance was electric! The band enthusiastically celebrated Sublime’s cool vibe in true fashion. They gave the fans the Slowride Tour experience, preforming some of the softer works like “Rivers Of Babylon” and “Scarlet Begonias”. Fans got wild and a mosh pit erupted for songs like “April 29, 1992”. At one point a fan had dropped their phone in the sea of people, and lead singer, Pat Downes, said “Yo, this guy dropped his phone. Did you get it man? Alright good!” The band never missed a beat. You could tell that Badfish loves what they do. Sublime’s essences lives in their hearts. This band is a Tribute triumph, and as real as it gets, right down to the soles of their skater shoes. The Newport’s air was electrifying and seamed to carry with it the spirit of Brad Nowell. It was a celebration of times gone by for many concert goers. For some, Badfish delivered a live experience to a new generation of hippies, fringe dwellers, and free thinkers. Badfish ended their live experience on stage with concussion of percussion! Tropidelic and Fayuca joined onstage to a freestyle jam session of “Smoke Two Joints”.

The tide that carried us thought the night was peace, love, with a “free to be” vibe. Liberal politics and social injustices were presented in the lyrics of all bands. This liberty bell rang crisp and clear with truth. The empowering mood seemed to take over the fans. The good and the ugly of Americas drug culture was woven tightly into the threads of much of the night’s music, and spun thorough the crowd. The reggae, funk, and hip-hop beats jammed by all the bands’ truly carried The Slowride Tour to a great success. The first leg of the tour has come to an end with Pittsburg as their last stop.