Alcohol and checkered vans were the common denominator for the huge triple header Sidewave at the Espy on Thursday night. With a huge lineup sporting some quality rockabilly and two of the most notable ska acts as of late, this triple header was quite different to the other bands on the Soundwave lineup. There were no surprises that ska definitely has a strong fanbase in Melbourne with the entire gig selling out well in advance.

The Creepshow opened the night to an already packed Gershwin room displaying a fun and well crafted set that had many people interested in what they had to offer though they didn’t have the crowd dancing as much as the later acts. Frontwoman Sarah Blackwood’s attempts at energizing the crowd did not pay off as much as the band would have liked, proving who the majority of the crowd was definitely here to see.

The Aquabats would be one of the strangest acts to grace the Soundwave lineup. Sporting matching ‘superhero’ outfits, and playing in front of odd projected visuals behind them, the five piece band from California had all singing, dancing and most importantly, laughing for the entire set.

The most enjoyable part of anything of the Aquabats work is the simplicity of the songs- whilst there may be some incredible guitar solos and high levels of enthusiasm, the straightforwardness of the tracks allows the audience to sing along to the “woah’s” and “hooray’s”. Throw this interaction with frontman The MC Bat Commander (Also known as Christian Jacobs) bringing out a pack of tim tams for the crowd to enjoy, and a large array of beach balls being thrown into the crowd for set closer Pool Party and there’s no way any punter is going to leave disappointed.

After members of the crowd continued to shout for water, Jacobs began a speech, outlining how water should be free. At this stage he urged all patrons in the Gershwin room to partake in a sit down protest. After some laughter, and some hesitation, the majority of the room was left sitting on the floor in protest of some H20. Whilst the Espy already does offer free water to punters, it was still a positive on the night.

It was surprising that any punter in the Gershwin room had any energy left for headliners Reel Big Fish, however after entering the stage to Superman’s theme song, and opening with Sell Out, it was clear that these hardcore, and well hydrated, fans were giving every ounce of energy for a band that had not graced our shores in 10 years.

For anyone who knows anything about Reel Big Fish, you would be well aware of their laid back style of entertaining punters. Sex jokes are definitely not hidden, with the guys talking about having sex with each another and to female boners. Yep, they went there.

This laid back style also brings a very comfortable style of playing music. The band has no issues with performing others work. Heartwarmer Brown Eyed Girl, had the entire room ‘sha, la, la-ing’ and the head banging Enter Sandman by Metallica provided the crowd with something a little different. Anyone who saw the band play at Soundwave the next day also would have noticed them playing a single song in about six different genres. Managing to play the same song in country, blues and death metal shows some skill and provides a fair bit of entertainment

The most amazing thing about the Reel Big Fish is how much they appear to be enjoying what they do. Regardless of if it was playing at the Espy, or playing to a massive crowd at Soundwave on Friday, the boys never stopped smiling, never stopped dancing, and never stopped mucking around whenever they were playing. The crowd reciprocated in every instance.

No Reel Big Fish gig would be complete without one of their most popular songs, the a-ha cover, Take on Me. As one of the final songs of the night, the crowd’s reaction to this song was unbelievable. This only increased with the band closing the set with obvious finisher, Beer.

The most incredible aspect of this gig was the fact that even a punter did not know any of the bands, they would have left thoroughly entertained. Whether it was the Creepshow’s attempts for a sing a long, the Aquabats proving their superpower strength by destroying an evil nemisis on stage or Reel Big Fish’s immature banter, anyone who was at the Espy on Thursday night experienced an amazing few hours of music.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS FROM THE GIG