Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Fillmore Auditorium
June 27, 2018
Photos by Raymond Ahner.
Not many ska bands have as much history under the belts as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones do. Formed way back in 1983 (long before some of those in attendance on this particular evening were even born), they are still not only putting out new records – their 10th studio effort While Were at It was just released earlier this Summer – but are also still delivering one of the most solid and entertaining live shows around.
Kicking off their set with “The Old School Off the Bright,” the Bosstones set the high energy pace for the evening right out of the gate. Frontman Dicky Barrett was all over the stage, often engaging with the fans in the front row, while wingman Ben Carr danced his way from one side of the stage to the other, doing his usual exceptional job of pumping up the crowd. “The Rascal King,” “Hell of a Hat,” and “Graffiti Worth Reading” were all crowd favorites, with not only the horn section (which included tenor saxophonist and original member Tim “Johnny Vegas” Burton) but also the guitar tones of Lawrence Katz.
The setlist on this evening was a good representation of the Bosstones entire history, and songs from the new record, including “Green Bay, Wisconsin,” “The Constant,” and “Unified” fit right in with “Wonderful Day For the Race,” “Hope I Never Lose My Wallet,” and “Don’t Worry Desmond Dekker.” Of course, no Mighty Mighty Bosstones set would be complete without “The Impression That I Get,” and as the band wrapped up their set with it there wasn’t a single person in the venue not dancing or waving their arms in the air.
Here’s a slideshow with more photos of Mighty Mighty Bosstones by Raymond Ahner:
For more information about the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, check out their website.
