Orange County can be a haven, or pit of peril for bands. If you’re good, fans here will let you know and be as loyal as anywhere on the planet. But if you’re not good, or not true to any genre, the locals will tell you and never let you forget. Which is it for Big D and the Kids Table?
If you follow the local music scene, that’s an easy one. They are as beloved as other local favorites such as No Doubt and Reel Big Fish. The bigger question is why?
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska-punk band from Boston that formed in 1996. Being one of Kevin Lyman’s Warped Tour favorites, Big D has done it all. They’ve played larger-than-life festivals near and far, and they’ve performed alongside the genre’s biggest names. We’ve seen them play with OC’s favorite sons, Reel Big Fish, along with The Bosstones, Rancid, Dropkick, Goldfinger, Less Than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto, and The Suicide Machines.
No matter the size of the venue, Big D, and McWane in particular, makes it a point to go out and meet the crowd and personally thank them for the support, especially the regulars who have been with them since day one. That, along with their much heralded “Little Bitch” videos – which often feature fans – is reason #101 fans love this band so much. That, and the great tunes.
Along with their own releases, they have been featured in 20 compilations between 1996 and 2013. Best known for their Big D inspired Specials cover of “Little Bitch,” we have sung along and skank’d along to songs like “Shining On,” “LAX,” “Noise Complaint.
In more recent years, they put out “Oi DJ” (with Maddie Ruthless and The Doped Up Dollies).
Now, Big D will be on the road supporting the release of “Do Your Art,” the band’s first new album in nearly a decade. They will hit the road in the US and make a stop in Southern California in April. In a press release, lead crooner David McWane said, “If you have been at home stuck in lockdown, wishing live shows were back, this is the show to hit up.” He went on to say, “It will be filled with pent-up overflowing artistic expression, positive and welcoming vibes, eye-widening ridiculousness, and of course the rudest and most explosive Ska-core!”
Big D and the Kids Table | PHOTO by Blake Hansen
If you haven’t seen Big D before, they are electricity personified and they bring the boom! The band features David McWane (vocals), Alex Stern (guitar, vocals), Ben Basile (bass), Casey Gruttadauria (keys, piano, melodica), Ryan O’Connor (saxophones), Jon Degen (saxophones), Paul E. Cuttler (trombone, flute), Logan La Barbera (trombone) and Alex Brander (drums, percussion).
The Constellation Room
Santa Ana, California
April 9, 2022
Big D and the Kids Table’s critically-hailed album, “Do Your Art,” is out now and available through SideOneDummy Records. Also noteworthy, especially for the locals, Do Your Art was produced by Reel Big Fish’s Matt Appleton.
Let’s circle back to why Big D is so beloved in the OC. This band is great on stage and they engage with the crowd. Anyone who knows them will tell you that McWane and company couldn’t be more down to earth. But this is the OC, the birthplace of third wave ska. Here it doesn’t matter how cool you are, if you are disingenuous to the genre, and most importantly, if the music sucks, the OC ska community will let you know (no matter who you are).
That all being said, Big D has a special place in the hearts of the locals. A big reason is they are true to the genre. They drop a legit two-tone sound, with kick-ass third-wave ska riffs and a fourth-wave signature sound that are undeniably ska. That is something you just can’t fake in the OC. Big D gets mad respect from the locals for being genuine (good music helps a lot).
Do yourself a favor and check out the classiest band on the planet from the world of ska, Big D and the Kids Table. They will make you shake, skank and roll, not necessarily in that order.
No OC ska show would be complete without fan favorite support acts. Joining Big D for the two local shows will be Left Alone and The Maxies. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
