VooDoo Glow Skulls have been called the Godfathers of Skacore, and unlike most scene honorifics, that one holds up under scrutiny. The Riverside, California band formed in 1988 and spent the following decade fusing hardcore aggression, Latin-influenced rhythm, and horn-driven chaos into a strain of ska punk that was heavier and more aggressive than anything the third-wave mainstream was producing. Through four Epitaph Records albums, worldwide touring, and close to four decades on the road, they have maintained that reputation without softening the approach. On Sunday, November 29, they bring it to Photo City Music Hall in Rochester, alongside Detroit psychobilly trio The Koffin Kats.
About the Show
Led by the Casillas brothers, VooDoo Glow Skulls built their live credentials from the ground up: backyard parties in the Inland Empire in the late 1980s, a full horn section assembled in 1991, and eventually a catalog of Epitaph Records albums that defined what skacore could sound like at its most aggressive. Firme and Band Geek Mafia are the touchstone records; songs like “Charlie Brown,” “Insubordination,” and “Shoot the Moon” are the catalog signatures that remain in heavy rotation at their shows. Current catalog note: the band is remixing and remastering “Livin’ the Apocalypse” for a streaming rerelease with bonus demo recordings, putting fresh attention on material that has held up well and giving this fall run a sharper frame.
The co-headliners are The Koffin Kats, a Detroit trio formed in 2003 by upright bassist and vocalist Vic Victor and guitarist Tommy Koffin out of the Motor City punk scene. They have since released 10 records and logged close to 3,000 live shows, building a touring résumé that includes international dates alongside Nekromantix, Mad Sin, and The Meteors. Their sound fuses classic rockabilly swing with punk energy and the kind of dark, ghoulish imagery the psychobilly world runs on. Opening the evening is The Raging Nathans, a Dayton, Ohio melodic punk outfit described as delivering fast, melodic punk with sharp songwriting and raw intensity.
Venue & Logistics
Photo City Music Hall, at 543 Atlantic Avenue in Rochester, is a 400-capacity club in the Finger Lakes region — a room appropriately sized for two acts that built their names in spaces exactly like this one rather than in arenas. Doors at 6:00 p.m. Ages 16 and older.
Tickets
Tickets run $30–$36. No refunds. Also available at photocitymusichall.com. Buy tickets