Dying Scene was at one of the final stops of the 2023 Bad Time Records Tour in Chicago at the Bottom Lounge, and boy was it a ska party for the ages! This show featured We Are The Union, Kill Lincoln, Catbite and J. Navarro & The Traitors…plus an epic ska-riffic on stage dance party to conclude the night.
Another sweet treat on this tour is the forthcoming documentary This Is New Tone that followed the entire Bad Time Records Tour. Here is the synopsis of the film:
“’THIS IS NEW TONE’ will be a concert film and documentary centered around the 2023 Bad Time Records Tour, featuring We Are The Union, Catbite, Kill Lincoln, BAD OPERATION, Omnigone, J. Navarro & The Traitors, and more. Much in the spirit of the film “Dance Craze”, the film will primarily center on multi-camera live performances from throughout the tour, but will also document the the bands and crew as they embark on this full-US venture. Featuring interviews from current band members, scene veterans, new fans, and ska legends, the film will also attempt to examine the current state of the modern ska punk scene, how it fits into the broader arc of ska’s history, and try to discover if the perceived “resurgence” is accurate or inflated. With many of the Bad Time Records bands rapidly growing, now is the perfect time to document the trajectory of the bands and the impact of the community.
The modern ska scene has never been captured in this way, and one of the main goals of the film is to make the live show experience accessible to those who are not able to attend the tour or shows in general. We will attempt to make the film as immersive as possible, to show the full scope of the high energy live experience and community aspect that one can find at one of these shows, while also giving a better picture of what the bands are like as people on and off stage. Bad Time Records is a completely DIY effort, and we aim to show that anyone can build up their own scene or collective and accomplish something significant without the support of major labels or corporations.
In the process of making the film, we will have a camera and sound crew documenting all 22 dates of the 2023 Bad Time Records tour. Hours of interview footage has already been captured, and the majority of the remaining filming will take place during the tour in March, June, and July of 2023. We are currently aiming for a December 2023 release of the film.”
A Kickstarter for the film has been launched and features tons of cool rewards. Make note to see this film when it releases!
Opening for the night was J. Navarro & The Traitors, featuring J. Navarro from the Suicide Machines and Ken Haas of Reverend Guitars. They recently released a new album All of Us or None and will be playing at The Supernova International Ska Festival in Fort Monroe, VA on September 16th, 2023 (the entire festival runs from September 15-17th).
Kill Lincoln brought their infectious energy next, including their own hype-man that danced the entire night.
We Are The Union released Ordinary Life on June 4th, 2021. Their song “Boys Will Be Girls” is incredibly catchy.
Closing out the night was the infamous Catbite. They recently released a cover with Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem of “Yes It’s True” by The Slackers. You can listen here! Also consider buying the vinyl from Bad Time Records; all proceeds support Play On Philly, an organization the helps underserved youth in Philadelphia get music education.
Did you miss out on the Bad Time Records Tour? Not to worry- you can catch these artists back on the road soon (including Catbite touring with Anti-Flag and Bouncing Souls!!). Check out the rest of the photos below!
