Streetlight Manifesto Preview at The Key Club in Los Angeles, CA on July 12 and 13, 2010

Born from two well-known 90′s ska bands, Catch 22 and Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, Streetlight Manifesto acquired traits from both bands to create an acclaimed Ska-Punk experience for fans from all genres of music. Their bold and upbeat style of third wave ska with a mixture of Punk melodies has made the New Jersey natives contemporaries for some of the biggest names in the ska music business today, including Reel Big Fish, Big D and the Kids Table, and Mad Caddies. In 2002, lead singer of Catch 22 and current frontman for Streetlight, Tom Kalnoky recorded a four-track demo EP with most of the members of Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution which include the songs "Everything Went Numb", "Point/Counterpoint", "The Saddest Song", and "We Are the Few". Streetlight Manifesto soon signed on to Victory Records, with the intention of only releasing one album.

With the departure of Kalnoky from Catch 22, many anxious ska fans anticipated the debut album of Streetlight Manifesto, "Everything Went Numb". The album received praise and recognition from even the toughest of critics and even drew fans not typically fond of ska music. Their first shows in Jersey were not only sell outs, but they drew fans from Minnesota and even Canada. The feedback produced their first tour in 2004, "They’ll Never Tour". After the success of this tour, the band bid farewell to bass player Josh Ansley due to his passion for a career in acting; Streetlight also experienced a line-up change in 2005 days before the start of their second tour, "Ska is Dead 2", when trumpeter Delano Bonner left. Fortunately trumpet players Don Ross and Mike Brown filled his shoes on the tour, with Mike Brown gaining a permanent spot in the line-up shortly after. However, with success comes hardship, and 2005 proved to be a rough year for the group. While traveling to tour overseas, the band faced visa troubles, burglary (over $8,000 in equipment stolen), losing more equipment, and more line-up change. The group pushed through their troubles and in 2006 released an entire cover of Catch 22′s album "Keasbey Nights" and in 2007 put out their third studio album, "Somewhere in the Between" in 2007, as well as touring extensively in 2007 and 2008 alongside bands such as Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, MxPx, and Suburban Legends.

Coming off a two year hiatus, Streetlight Manifesto has marked their comeback with the announcement of "99 Songs of Revolution" which will feature two full length albums by Streetlight and two full length albums by Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution. In addition to the significant collection, four other albums will be produced; two records recorded by two unknown ska Punk bands. The first volume in this collection was put out on March 16th 2010 by Victory Records and just contains outstanding cover songs, including The Dead Milkmen’s "Punk Rock Girl" and NOFX’s "Linoleum". Along with the remarkable album, Streetlight Manifesto gave fans reason to cheer by broadcasting their 2010 "The Ship of Fools" Tour, a 60 date worldwide tour this summer which makes its stop here in Southern California on July 12th and 13th at the Key Club in Hollywood as well as July 15th at the House of Blues in Anaheim. Not bad for a band who only intended to record one album.

Streetlight Manifesto on July 12 and 13, 2010 at The Key Club in Los Angeles, CA
and July 15, 2010 at The House of Blues in Anaheim

-Sarah K.-
Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter
 

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