15 MAY 7-13, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Attention all ska fans: Denver Ska Fest is back! On Saturday, May 16, Denver Ska Fest 2 will bring four iconic bands together for a one-night celebration of all things ska. Get ready to boogie with headliners Dance Hall Crashers, punk rock superheroes The Aqua- bats!, Denver’s own Five Iron Frenzy, and The Potato Pirates. Denver Ska Festival made its de- but in 2024 at Sculpture Park, but is upgrading to a new venue this year: Mission Ballroom. “We’re beyond excited to celebrate Denver’s rich ska history at the Mission,” says AEG’s Danny Sax, the fest’s talent buyer. “We’ve had a blast promoting the second Denver Ska Fest and can’t wait to rock with the whole Colorado scene!” Fusing the off-beat rhythmic ac- cents of reggae with the ram- bunctious energy and rebellious spirit of punk rock, ska music has maintained a cult following even when it’s waned in mainstream popularity. The history of ska is divided into three periods: the origins of ska in 1960s Jamaica, the popularization of “two-tone” ska in the 1970s, and third-wave ska from the late 1980s and 1990s. Early ska pioneers during the ‘60s in Jamaica were heav- ily infl uenced by the R&B and jazz music coming out of New Orleans, and combined those sounds with Caribbean mento, laying the groundwork for the reggae and rocksteady move- ments to come. In the 1970s, two-tone emerged from the British ska scene, giving classic Jamai- can ska rhythms a punk spin and establishing the fundamentals of ska-punk music still played today. Third-wave ska encompasses bands from all over the globe that came about after the late 1980s, including all of the acts playing Denver Ska Fest 2! Originally formed in Berkley, California in 1989, Dance Hall Crashers helped shape the third-wave ska movement with their signature dual vocalists and pop-punk energy. Last year, DHC ended a twenty-one-year performance hiatus, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to see them reunite on stage! “Having a band as infl uential as Dance Hall Crashers on board is huge, let alone a giant bucket list band to fi nally get to see live,” empha- sizes Sax. “Not to mention how much fun The Aquabats! are live every single time, and the impact they have on raising up the next generation of fans.” The unapol- ogetically silly superhero-themed band are known for their theatri- cal stage hijinks, which often include choreographed stunts and fi ght scenes. Going strong for over thirty years, The Aqua- bats! have gained a dedicated cross-generational fan base with their surf rock and synth-pop- infl uenced tunes. But you can’t have Denver Ska Fest without representing Den- ver’s own ska community! “It’s also vitally important to us to showcase Denver’s homegrown talent, and any discussion of ska history must include hometown heroes Five Iron Frenzy and The Potato Pirates,” Sax explains. Five Iron Frenzy is a veteran of the Denver ska scene, offi cially named in 1995 after the found- ing members had already been playing together for years. Though they disbanded in 2003, Five Iron Frenzy made a grand return in 2011 with their fan-funded tenth album, Engine of A Million Plots. Also hailing from Denver, DIY punk rock- ers The Potato Pirates will add a raw edge to the fest’s lineup. Both Five Iron Frenzy and The Potato Pirates played the fi rst Denver Ska Fest, so it’s only right that they run it back for round two! Founding members from Dance Hall Crashers, The Aquabats!, and Five Iron Frenzy all left previ- ous bands when they discovered that they had a lot more fun playing ska, so these bands were literally founded on fun. Denver Ska Fest 2 is going to be an all- day extravaganza: “We’re also putting the new public consump- tion license to use on the plaza in front of the Mission, throwing an epic pre-party from 2 to 6 p.m,” says Sax. “Denver Vintage Reggae Society will be spinning records live at Peach Crease, and Wax Trax is bringing out a huge tent fi lled with their amaz- ing selection of records.” Partner restaurants Left Hand Brewing, Chubby Unicorn, and Peach Crease will all be serving up drink specials (including featured beers from Ska Brewing and Ra- tio Beerworks!), with local retail- ers selling clothes, jewelry, and other fun goodies. Plus, thanks to the infamous meme describing ska as “What plays in a thirteen- year-old kid’s head when he gets extra mozzarella sticks,” Mission Ballroom will be serving moz- zarella sticks for one night only. Grab your checkerboard danc- ing shoes and get ready to skank it out on the dance fl oor! LIVE MUSIC ADVERTORIAL DENVER SKA FEST RETURNS
