Skate and Surf 2015: Rock ‘n’ Roll, Wrestling & Hawaiian Hats

Words and Photos by Erin Mathis

Modern Baseball started the day off right with their early performance at the GameLoud stage. Excited fangirls and gauged-out bros stood side by side, awaiting the Philly band’s set. Brendan Lukens was the first to emerge on stage, wearing his favorite faded tie-dye shirt, the very same one he wore in the band’s video for “The Weekend.” The band played “The Weekend,” along with other crowd favorites like “Fine, Great,” “Broken Cash Machine,” “Rock Bottom,” and of course “Your Graduation.” They’re a band that knows what the crowd wants, and delivers it, while still managing to make their older, probably overplayed, songs feel fresh and fun. For example, during “Charlie Black,” Brendan repeatedly called out for Ian, who answered him with, “funny fish taco place,” most likely something that the two improvised on the spot. Also, Jake created a nice moment of crowd interaction, asking everyone to shout out loud what they had for breakfast.

Ian shocked the crowd with a cover of The Killers’ “When You Were Young,” which prompted a click of young girls to turn to each other and raise their eyebrows in approval.

Something I’ve always loved about Modern Baseball is that, no matter where they play, they always make it feel like an intimate basement show. They always have the entire crowd jumping and shouting along to the lyrics, and are able to connect with the audience in a way that very few bands can.

At 5:30, Jake and Brendan surprised their fans with an acoustic set at the Tiger Cuts tent. They took requests from the audience, and played songs like “@chl03k” and “Pothole”. Afterward, they were kind enough to stick around to meet and take photos with eager fans.

Real Friends were the second band up on the GameLoud stage, and it was obvious that they were excited about their first time at Skate and Surf. Lead vocalist Dan Lambton and his flowing, wavy hair kept the energy high. Throughout their set he encouraged the audience to get rowdy, asking for everyone to jump together, or form circle pits. Notable songs included “Loose Ends,” “Floorboards,” and “I’ve Given Up On You,” which included a special appearance from Modern Baseball’s Brendan Lukens, who sang into the mic for a chorus. Like Modern Baseball, they know how to keep the vibe fun and entertaining. At one point Lambton asked the crowd for a big round of applause for Jackie Chan.

The Front Bottoms drew in one of the biggest crowds at Skate and Surf. I got a spot near the front and waited nearly forty minutes for the band to start, but once they did, I quickly had to swim my way out. Hands down one of the rowdiest crowds I’ve ever been in, with lots of shoving, and crowd surfers sailing over head every thirty seconds or so.

The stage was decorated in true Front Bottoms fashion, with their band name spray painted on a white tarp hanging behind them, and miscellaneous mylar balloons blowing in the breeze. They opened with “Au Revoir” and kept the crowd singing with songs like “Skeleton” and “The Beers.” They even debuted a brand new song, one with a bit more of a rock ‘n’ roll influence. As expected, they closed off their set with my personal favorite, “Twin Size Mattress,” and surprised the audience by throwing out dozens of plastic tambourines to play. Unfortunately, me and my five-foot-three self was unable to catch one, but I still had an awesome time dancing along despite my lack of tambourine.

In non-bands news…

Besides the expected overpriced food ($5 for a hot dog), one thing I didn’t like was the set up for merchandise. All of the merch was located in a large square tent, and there wasn’t much to choose from. I was really hoping to get some new posters for my bedroom wall, but couldn’t find any for the bands I wanted.

I only caught a glimpse of the wrestling ring, but I enjoyed what I saw. It’s always a good time when fully grown men put on brightly-colored spandex pants and flip around. The guys I watched had awesome showmanship and really knew how to get the crowd pumped up.

Many of the concertgoers, like myself, planned for a rainy day. The clouds rolled in at the start, but then miraculously cleared up, leaving hundreds of unprepared attendees frying in the hot sun. On the way out, it was fun to look at the varying burn-lines that were acquired throughout the day.

With an early summer show like this, it’s important to take note of any trends that will define the 2015 concert season. The first thing I noticed was the abundance of selfie sticks and go pros. Apparently, it’s not enough to experience a concert anymore. Fans have to record it so they can share it on the internet and prove to all of their friends that they had a good time, too. Also, I noticed some unusual headwear. Hawaiian print safari and bucket hats seemed to be all the rage. I wasn’t sure if people were wearing them sarcastically or not, but either way, I appreciated those who were bold enough to protect their heads with a fashion statement.