Skankin’ descended upon the Midway Cafe on Friday, 5 August 2022 as a 4-band ska/punk bill with Brunt of It, Stray Bullets, Joystick, Jerry's Got Jokes elbowed their way into an already crowded venue for soundcheck. It was the tail end of a two-bill night at the Jamaica Plain haunt and the stony greybeards were filing out from the Hippie Hour while the punkers enjoyed smokes on the sidewalk.

Joystick rolled into town on a three-month tour out of New Orleans, Louisiana. Otherwise it was a Bay State evening with local hardcore skankers Jerry’s Got Jokes opening the show.

Joystick sounded like true road warriors. Great chops, sounded tight. Horns blazing. A real showman frontman. The southern ensemble played more than a few numbers off their most recent release I Can’t Take It Anymore

Stray Bullets shouted out the chops on Joystick. There’s nothing like a tour to whip a band’s sound into shape.

Brunt Of It closed out the bill. There had been plenty of head-bobbing all evening, but the pit broke out into a full-on skankin’ conga circle (not pictured) halfway through their set. Are ska punks just better than regular punks?