Mustard Plug

  • Mustard Plug
  • Left Alone
  • The Potato Pirates
  • The A-OKs
  • Ska Skank Redemption

Way back in 1999 was the first time I got to see Mustard Plug live. They were touring with a the former punk band Digger at a “club” that was really just a laser tag arena. Oddly enough Songkick.com has the actual listing for that show: here.

A lot has changed in the last thirteen years.  I found a review of that 1999 show (here), which states:

Mustard Plug recently released its third disc, “Pray For Mojo,” with no intent of giving up on ska, Kirchgessner said, even though the music — which had its first wave in Jamaica in the early to mid-’60s and its second among British punks in the late ’70s and early ’80s — has been through another cycle of popularity.

I am quite glad that Mustard Plug didn’t buckle under the pressure of the already ending cycle of ska’s main stream acceptance.

I got to see them a year and a half later at this show:

#877 | 12.15.00 | Philadelphia, PA | Theatre of Living Arts
 with MU330, Cooter, Mephiskapheles

I remember MU330’s Dan Potthast getting out a giant inflatable hammer and hitting people in the crowd on the head with it.  I attended these shows as well (If you care):

#1137 | 5.2.04 | Philadelphia, PA | Trocadero Theatre
 with Catch 22, Big D & The Kids Table, Planet Smashers, Suicide Machines, Against All Authority, The Code
#1209 | 9.25.05 | Philadelphia, PA | Trocadero
 with Toasters, Planet Smashers, Westbound Train, SGR
#1440 | 11.13.09 | Philadelphia, PA | Starlight Ballroom
with The Toasters, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Deal's Gone Bad, Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause, Victor's Lament

I believe the two shows at the Troc were “Ska is dead” tour shows, and the last show was an awesome Ska Party that marked the last show of the Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause

The point that I’m getting at is: Throughout the years, Mustard Plug has been able to continually rock any venue they played, and has stuck to their ska roots through it all!

I had a little trouble collecting photos and set lists after my phone battery died, and using a phone from the pit wouldn’t have been an easy task anyway…

Ska Skank Redemption, The A-OKs, and The Potato Pirates put on an excellent show, and displayed that the Denver, Colorado ska scene is still going strong.  Left Alone opened with “Sad Story“, and continued to play an amazing set.

Mustard Plug opened with “Skank by Numbers” and followed with great songs such as “You“, “The Beer Song“, “Hit Me! Hit Me!“, “Mr Smiley“, “Real Rat Bastard“, “Brain On Ska“, “Lolita“, “Mendoza“, and “Thigh High Nylons“.  The audience also had its own characters such as a guy dressed as Mr. Smiley, and a girl wearing checkered Thigh High Nylons.  Both were able to get on stage, and were promptly asked to leave the venue, but Mustard Plug wouldn’t let that happen!

The only sour point of the whole night was when Mustard Plug announced they would be playing their last song, the crowd broke out in a loud unison “NOOOO!”.

It was a great show, and I can’t wait for more great ska shows coming up!

  • The A-OKs will be playing again on May 11 at Moe’s Englewood. (more info)
  • Ska Skank Redemption will be playing again on May 23, also at Moe’s Englewood. (more info)

If you have any photos or other comments about this show or other ska shows in Denver, please leave a comment below or email us at shows@ska5280.com.