Reggae Rock/Surf Punk Pioneers THE EXPENDABLES Steamroll Through Texas with Bumpin Uglies and Claire Wright (Live Review) -

Reggae Rock/Surf Punk Pioneers THE EXPENDABLES Steamroll Through Texas with Bumpin Uglies and Claire Wright.

FINAL DATE ON TEXAS RUN IN HOUSTON GOES OFF AT SCOUT BAR

The Expendables are considered to be one of a handful of bands that started the American Reggae (Rock) genre in the late 90’s/early 2000’s along side Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, and Iration. The band’s first full length was actually published through Slightly Stoopid’s Stoopid Records in 2002.

Since forming over 20 years ago, the band has continued the seasonal tour and festival grind rocking stages all over the US.

In support of their June full length release Pleasure Point, (named after a popular surf spot in Santa Cruz) the band is currently touring the nation supported by Annapolis Maryland based Bumpin Uglies, and California/Tennessee based Claire Wright, both of which are also showcasing new music released this year with the Uglies dropping Underdog: The Acoustic Sessions (Silverback’s Controlled Substance Sound Labs) and Claire dropping her debut full length Setting Out For The Sun (Ineffable).

I had a chance to check out the Dallas and Houston stops on the Texas run of shows. The Scout Bar in Houston is the Texas equivalent to The Whiskey and The Roxy in Hollywood. Totally iconic venue with insane sound and lighting. The bands and crowd did not disappoint. I’ve been to many shows at the Scout Bar over the years and this was by far the most packed. If you are asking me, it was sold out. I filmed a bit during each set and it was very challenging to navigate around the sea of bodies within.

Claire started the evening off with her catchy, feel good beach anthems that are quickly becoming noticed with her recent showings at festivals and tour stops. Bumpin Uglies followed with all the classics, and also inserted a crowd dance off competition into the mix, while having the crowd, crowd surf Ethan (keys/trombone) to the sound booth and back.

The Expendables have a healthy mix of the classics followed by material off Pleasure Point worked into their set which includes a remake of Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. The bands surf punk roots surfaced when a mosh pit erupted during Corporate Cafeteria.

The tour moved east with the next date following Houston being at the House of Blues in New Orleans – and continues east with dates up and down the coast before returning back west playing dates in the mid-west along the way, wrapping up with a hometown rager in Santa Cruz on December the 1st. The tour continues on in 2024 with California and Hawaii dates.