On a rainy Tuesday night in July, the open courtyard of Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg was the scene of one of this year’s most anticipated shows.  The line-up consisted of a local ska/punk group named Rude Squad, an already established punk outfit from Richmond, Virginia named Avail, and the world-renowned grandfathers of reggae/punk known as Rancid.  As the steady flow of rain descended from the sky, the thought of a cancelled show plagued the thoughts of an ever-growing and already sold out crowd.  Has there ever been a cancelled show due to the clockwork precipitation of July?  Would the bands refuse to play their sets because of a little dribbling rain?  The paranoia of not seeing these anticipated acts diminished once Rancid came to the stage for a pre-show sound check.  A couple of songs into the warm up, I noticed the lead singer and front man of one of Fat Wreck Chord’s finest bands sitting behind their merchandise table.  I’m talking about Tim Barry from Avail, and I had the chance to speak with him at length about the band.

Avail is a band that blends various genres of music together to form their own unique sound. Some of the folk and country styles which underlie this primarily punk rock band often go undetected by the average listener, though it’s these very same melodic roots which separate them from the rest.  Avail has six albums under their belt, and they are currently in the midst of producing a new one.  They spent considerable time writing a new album, but then decided they didn’t like the songs enough to put them out.  Despite their admirably patient pursuit for songwriting perfection, Avail remains busy playing shows throughout the country, and has been focusing more on their future than their past.  Avail’s most recent record release is a compilation of older material from their most popular albums, which where originally released on Lookout records.  These albums have been remastered, re-packaged and re-released on a different record label, Jade Tree.  Tim Barry is also in the midst of some solo work which he describes as “folky,” and songs from this project can be found on the Avail website.  Tim says he does the solo project strictly on the side, and as far as Avail is concerned, “it’s chaos as usual, fun as shit and we are lucky as hell.”  

I caught up with Rude Squad before their set, and although they were busy tuning their instruments and unpacking their gear, I was able to speak with drummer Adrian Baptist.  Standing under a balcony to avoid the rain, we drank draft beer and discussed Rude Squad in terms of what they’ve been doing and where they’ll be next.  Rude Squad has two albums you can get your hands on, and they are currently in the process of choosing a studio in which to record a third.  When or where this will be is, at this time, unknown—but they have been writing new material for a solid year, and they’re itching to unleash it on a full length disc.  As a band that’s been around long enough to have a true feel for the Tampa Bay scene, they’re optimistic as to where this scene is heading and they’ll surely be carrying on the legacy of punk/ska melody in the days to come.  When asked what they would like our readers to know about Rude Squad, Adrian replied, “we are a band that plays hard, works hard, and we will play any show, anywhere.”  Rude Squad truly does what they do for the intrinsic value, derived from their love for music—and they will continue playing until that fat bitch sings her heart out.  

As for the headliners of the show, Rancid rocked Jannus, to no one’s surprise.  Avail played all of the crowd favorites they could manage in the time they had, and although I missed Rude Squad due to a dipsomaniacal fit, I trust they graced the crowd with the same love and affection as the gods did for making the rain finally stop before the show.  For more information about Rude Squad, go to Rudesquad.com and check out their upcoming shows, and you can listen to songs on their website.