The Aquabats - Live at Irvine, CA 11/26/1997

One of the higher-quality early bootlegs of the legendary Aquabats. This show took place just a few weeks after their second LP, The Fury of The Aquabats!, was released in 1997. By comparison to their later material, they were only getting a little weird at this point, but were obviously still distinctive from other bands in the Orange County ska scene at the time. I'm not sure if this was a headlining show or not, but damn, that is a lot of people. Still amazing to think how popular ska was at this time.
Note: I previously had this show listed as being in Riverside, CA. It was in fact at UC Irvine on November 26, 1997. Also on the bill were Blink 182, Reel Big Fish, and Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Yep, that explains the insane crowd. What a lineup.
Set list:
Playdough!
Red Sweater!
Super Rad!
My Skateboard!
Cat with Two Heads!
Captain Hampton!
Story of Nothing!
Martian Girl!

[@skaneverdies]

Shamelessly plugging my own band here because we borrow (read: rip off) a lot from The Aquabats. @synergycorpinc on IG, or search Synergy Corp on Spotify!

[@duccpacito]

YOOO palm springs and corporate hymn slap

[@jasonjacobs7929]

Dude singing, playing trumpet and keyboards is amazing all while dancing

[@Jonas_kaminskas]

his name is jimmy the robot

[@eatsteas]

it's prince adam, jimmy's the one on the sax

[@Jonas_kaminskas]

oh yea I forgot i was thinking of modern times like right now

[@StumpyFunnel]

and the commander is the one singing edit: didn’t know he meant prince adam

[@scwizzyfilmproduction3306]

That is why he is the Prince of Aquabania

[@Je5s3r]

This was Reel Big Fish, blink-182, The Aquabats!, & Cherry Poppin' Daddies at the Bren Center at UC Irvine.

[@SunOfRa]

1:23 Playdough 4:50 Red Sweater 8:28 Super Rad 12:02 My Skateboard 15:40 Fight Song 17:07 Cat With 2 Heads 21:03 Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates 25:15 The Story of Nothing 28:25 Martian Girl

[@idk-hh1uw]

Thank you

[@SunOfRa]

@@idk-hh1uw You're welcome!

[@dabz___]

The drumming is just insane. Complex shit played with an enviable level of cleanliness and clarity. GOAT

[@robertol.p.correa8940]

The goat travis B.

[@m1g0t0]

i was at this show. The ska scene was so nuts back then. I had a lot of friends that had bands and you could always find a show on a weekend.

[@thoma110]

I went to this show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blink 182 opened up for them!

[@genarodiaz187]

Did they really ?

[@IdeasAlAire]

@@genarodiaz187 yes, travis barker in this video is the drummer

[@ThatOneGirlThatPlays]

So cool seeing a young Crash, Mc Commander and a brand new Jimmy the Robot there on the sax. And HOLY SHIT ITS BARON VON TITO! (Travis Barker)

[@ArchibaldClumpy]

Back when there were like nine band members on stage at once.

[@audreyy1668]

Ideal amount

[@RGLuch2407]

Slipknot who?

[@Btn1136]

that energy they had- damn

[@marcosrico8390]

Trumpets make the sound POP!

[@sanjaeencinas3274]

some of the funnest silliest stoney nights of my life!

[@alexstansberry8792]

Giggling kicking my feet wish I could ever see a show like this

[@talksinstereo]

hands down the best ska drummer ever, way better than anything he did in blink 182.

[@mtndewman1022]

+jason whitaker when people tell me he sucks, i show them the fury of the aquabats. that album is the only thing we should judge him on. fuck blink.

[@LupinTheThird31]

word!

[@oisuxx]

derek grant on the suicide machine's distruction by definition album is amazing too.

[@kiwiangeldust6912]

I completely disagree

[@nyleszapatos4729]

mtndewman1022 imagine being objectively wrong

[@TheDas9582]

I saw them in August 1997 with The Mad Caddies in Tempe, AZ. Great show!

[@mtndewman1022]

just look at that massive crowd #makeskagreatagain

[@pinkysunshine2423]

Skankin Pickle are my favorite 90z ska from the bay area! RIP NETTY❤ BIGGEST CALFS IN SKA BIG HEAD MIKE PARKS

[@user-wr2ko3cq6j]

Was at this show! Dude ran on stage naked during blink.

[@thecleancanvaspodcast]

Was at this show! Takes me back.

[@davet2459]

Not sure why Blink was even on the bill at this show since it was supposed to be a ska/swing celebration but they were and yes there actually was a point in time where the Aquabats and Cherry Poppin' Daddies would headline a show over Blink-182. Hard to imagine today.

[@spud_grrrl]

Because Travis was in aquabats

[@kevinswift8654]

Thanks for the upload, I love all of this but especially how much the crowd screamed and cheered. What a time to be alive.

[@hotruss7630]

Crowd went wild when Super Rad came on. Wish I was there.

[@InsaneFoolish]

what a sick drumming, great band, awesome performers

[@UnculturedRobots]

Young Travis Barker gesshusss , thanks for uploading and question ​Bryan Thomas by then I believe it was Scott on the drum with blink (was it without the 182¿) or was this the set where travis was like yo I got you!!

[@djkillahcam]

He didn't fill in for Scott until the Sno Core tour in 1998, which was a few months after this show

[@Chuixupu]

Ha, I was at this show. I am pretty sure this was the first time I heard Blink-182 and I have hated them ever since.

[@billyyfire]

lmao

[@Longbajubi]

So technically, this show was the first time Travis meet blink-182 am i right?

[@Je5s3r]

Maybe! Travis was in the Aquabats when they played a show with blink in 1996.

[@erwinbraga5965]

So this was the famous gig where travis decided to join blink...

[@Je5s3r]

Maybe! Early 1998 was the first time he filled in for them when they were on tour with the Aquabats.

[@KeroKeroGrips12]

2:07 wow

[@pezcore2142]

i heard they never intended to be labeled a 'ska band' , they didnt think of themselves as one.

[@JasonMontell2501]

Who saw them live at knotts berry farm??

[@idk-hh1uw]

They played at knots berry farm?

[@JasonMontell2501]

@@idk-hh1uw yup.. I believe it was summer 1996. They played 3 times throughout the day.

[@idk-hh1uw]

@@JasonMontell2501 oh shit how was it dude?

[@JasonMontell2501]

@@idk-hh1uw for a bunch of us 15 and 16 year old friends who went.. it was the greatest day of the summer