 "Photo: Special to The Gamecock")
 "Photo: Special to The Gamecock")
Ska is dead - and by the looks of it, a revival of the horn-driven, reggae-punk blend is not in the near future.
It has been nearly 10 years since mainstream music welcomed bands such as brass-happy No Doubt, ska-punk Sublime and Boston two-tone legends the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Today, MTV's target audience would rather hear minor-key screamo than the upbeat brilliance of ska. As a result, the ska scene has retreated, once again, to the underground.
"I've always liked ska because it's happy," said local ska kid Seth Bailin, a first-year advertising student. "It's fun to dance to and can be chill sometimes, but other times it can have a harder punk sound. It's perfect."
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of generic, friendly-for-the-masses punk, and the break-up of great ska bands. Fortunately, some two-tone armies still exist.
The Maladroit Mafia proves to be one such band. The group's sound ranges from loud and abrasive to sweet and catchy. On "Feel the Same," the band explores a harder ska-core sound, reminiscent of earlier Suicide Machines albums. The band's lighter sounding song "These Days" is balanced with grim political lyrics such as "equal rights for some, but not for all; divided we stand, divided we fall," and "this fight ain't about me versus you - the fight is about the red versus the blue."
The song "Playground Brawl" ends with a Catch 22-like a cappella chant. Trumpet player Brandon Rogers and guitarist Jeffrey McMicken share the vocals with a Big D & The Kids Table vocal-and-rap style that seems perfect for the band.
"Ska-wise, I would say (our biggest influences) are Catch 22, Big D & The Kids Table and Mustard Plug," said Jason Rikard, Maladroit Mafia drummer. "Plus, The Know How is great as well."
The Mafia's first show was back March at New Brookland Tavern. Five months later they were playing on Vans Warped Tour, on the Ernie Ball stage.
"It was great to play on the same stage as one of our influences, Big D & The Kids Table. We sold out of all our CDs, too" Rogers said.
Even though the stage was one of the smallest, the competition to get on the Warped Tour was fierce. Such successes are typical of seasoned musicians, but many of the band members are still in high school.
Fans waiting for ska's fourth wave to make the genre largely accessible again might have to wait longer, but until then, the Maladroit Mafia will perform alongside The Know How at New Brookland Tavern on Tuesday.
"It's going to be my first show with the Maladroit Mafia, and I'm excited about it because we get to show off new material as well as the old stuff that's already been played," Tyler Morris, Mafia's new bassist, said.
Other bands playing Tuesday are Ham and Cheese Experience and Business Like Trio. After playing on Vans Warped Tour, the show will only add to the Maladroit Mafia's growing list of achievements. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $6 in advance.
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