This weekend in Gainesville, the ‘90s are making a comeback.
Reel Big Fish is performing Saturday at High Dive, located at 210 SW Second Ave., along with Suburban Legends and The Maxies. This will be the band’s first-ever show at the venue.
“Reel Big Fish is a kingpin of the ‘90s ska-punk scene,” Pat Lavery, owner of Glory Days Presents, said in an email. “Like many people, I have been a fan of the band since high school.”
Lavery said he saw the band perform in Gainesville when he was in college.
“They fit in great with our current spring lineup of The Expendables, Badfish and the like,” he said. “We have seen huge fan reaction from this show and expect it to sell out.”
Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $20.
An icon of the era, Reel Big Fish came onto the scene following the mid-’90s success of No Doubt and Sublime.
Originally from Huntington Beach, California, the band has continuously toured and played live — with over 250 shows a year. The band members’ passion for the ska-punk genre and the loyalty to their fans has increased their underground popularity as the ska scene continues to grow.
Reel Big Fish is currently on its “Candy Coated Fury” tour, showcasing the band’s first album of original material in five years. It is the seventh album that band has recorded in its 20-year history, and it feels just as energetic and acerbic as the group’s foundational releases.
In reference to the band’s upcoming music and albums, Billy Kottage, the trombone and occasional organ player for the band, said, “I’d probably get run over by a car if I told you.”
Reel Big Fish is sticking with its original ska-punk band feel, though, Kottage said.
“Our newest music compared to our music of the late ‘90s is still pretty similar, granted it is evolving,” he said.
Aaron Barrett, the lead singer and songwriter, writes most of the band’s songs in his head, Kottage said. “We don’t really know how he does it.”
Kottage had a long-time relationship with other members of the band, including previous trombone player Dan Regan, who left the band in 2013 to pursue other projects. This is when Kottage officially joined Reel Big Fish. He had played in multiple bands and toured with Reel Big Fish before joining.
“A lot of the time when you are on tour with a band and people within the ska genre, music takes a backseat to the relationships you have with the people you are creating music with,” Kottage said.
He said the people within the ska genre are one of his favorite parts about being in Reel Big Fish.
As for bands that are looking to make it big, Kottage said one of the most important things is to find opportunities to play in front of a healthy amount of people, and everyone has to be ready to perform the best they can.
He elaborated that playing with friends is one of the most important factors in succeeding as a band.
Kottage enjoys the Gainesville music scene and is looking forward to playing at High Dive.
The band has close connections to fellow ska-punk band Less Than Jake, who are originally from Gainesville.
For Kottage, playing in Gainesville feels like home because it is not a major city.
“Gainesville is not that big, which is really awesome because it’s a little smaller and more concentrated and more personal,” he said.
Reel Big Fish will play its first-ever show at High Dive, 210 SW Second Ave., on Saturday. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 9 p.m.
