Badfish

BADFISH, LONGTIME SUBLIME TRIBUTE BAND, EMBARK ON WINTER TOUR WITH GROUNDBREAKING ORIGINAL MUSIC IN TOW

By Mario Tarradell

Badfish is a vibe. Badfish is a sonic house party complete with plenty of gyrating fans sipping libations and enjoying other various extra-curricular activities.. Badfish is feel-good music.

For 22 years, the Rhode Island-based band – Joel Hanks on bass, Scott Begin on drums, Pat Downes on vocals and guitar, Danny Torgersen on horns, keyboards, and guitars – have successfully paid tribute to Sublime, the short-lived but influential California group that brought ska-punk and reggae-rock to the mainstream. Badfish’s heartfelt celebration of Sublime’s musical spirit and legacy is so sought-after that they’ve headlined theaters, sold out shows, and played 15-20 gigs a month.

But now, Badfish is more. After two decades of Sublime reverence, it’s time for Badfish originality. Badfish is releasing their own songs in early 2024. Their Sublime repertoire will be augmented by some fresh original tracks that promise to blend seamlessly together.

“Putting out original music alongside being a tribute band has always been a point of interest to us,” says Begin. “It’s been a tricky path to walk, though. Yet as the years have gone by and we’ve gotten to witness our little show turn into somewhat of a movement within the scene, we are at the point where we feel we have something of real heart and value to add not only to our show but to the American reggae scene.”

That means you’ll hear Sublime staples “What I Got,” “Santeria,” and “Wrong Way” intertwined with Badfish’s own groove heavy “High With You,” “Surf Party Lord,” “Trippin’,” and the in-your-face swagger of “FYPM.” The new tunes are vibrant, brimming with reggae beats and rock-punk strut. Resistance is futile, you’re going to move.

“With the kinetic energy that the band has amassed over years of performing, the ideas just started to flow out of the blue and we were lucky enough to capture them,” says Begin. “Perspective is a great tool in music composition, and we’ve got plenty of that by now. When it feels right, it feels right…and these songs sure feel right.”

Badfish’s “High With You” tour is shaping up to be the biggest of the band’s career. Dates are already set for late December through mid-February with more gigs to be added. With the new original music as part of the set list, Badfish members hope to create a symbiotic balance between yesterday and today that elevates their game. Because Badfish is absolutely a vibe.