Catching Up with Mustard Plug

April 29, 2016

It’s been more than a year since we checked in with northern Michigan’s favorite ska band, the Grand Rapids–based Mustard Plug. So, with a big show coming up this month at Traverse City’s InsideOut Gallery, what better time to brush up on our skanking?

WHAT’S NEW?

“During the last year, we’ve really just been focused on hitting the road,” explained Mustard Plug’s singer, Dave Kirchgessner. “We just headlined a really awesome West Coast tour that culminated with a sold-out show in Denver.”

The band also made a big impression at last year’s Riot Fest in Chicago and The Fest in Gainesville, Fla.

“We’re doing the Amnesia Festival in Canada this summer, which is a huge outdoor, camping-type fest sort of like a punk rock Bonnaroo, so that should be fun. Besides all of that, we’re basically gearing up for our 25th year as a band and some 25th anniversary shows here in the Midwest,” Kirchgessner said.

Their upcoming TC show will feature opening acts The Neighborhood Dogs and The Droogs; both have shared the stage with Mustard Plug before. “We’re really excited to be playing with some great local punk bands and they’re super nice guys to hang out with as well,” he said.

SONG DEVELOPMENT

The tracks from Mustard Plug’s newest album, Can’t Contain It, are still a work in progress as far as their live format goes, even though it’s been out for awhile now. Kirchgessner said that “The All-Nighter” and “What Does She Know” are two proven live favorites with their crowds.

“‘The All-Nighter’ is kind of funny because it started off really different when we first wrote it,” he said. “We worked on it over the course of probably two to three years and we were fairly close to leaving it off of the album, but Colin (Clive, guitar/vocals) and I came up with a new twist on it and reworked it completely. ‘What Does She Know’ has a super-hooky chorus and it’s easy to get stuck in your head. Plus, it’s basically a love song about a dog, which isn’t that common, but it’s easy to relate to.”

SKA THOUGHTS

While ska will probably always have a solid base of fans, as a whole, the genre seems to be quieting down a bit in the U.S. What are Kirchgessner’s thoughts on this?

“Overall, the ska scene here is probably the weakest it’s been in at least a couple of decades,” he agreed. “I know that’s a brutal thing to say, but I just don’t see too many new bands with new ideas.”

Mustard Plug may be something of an exception, as Kirchgessner pointed out that their shows have actually been drawing bigger audiences lately. “There are tons of newer fans that keep discovering us,” he said. “And the main exception to the weak U.S. ska scene is with the Latino community; there are some awesome new ska bands coming out of places like California, Texas, Denver and Chicago. I’m excited to have that new energy being put into ska.”

SKANKIN’ SHOES

A lot of energy is expended by ska fans, too, especially in the dancing department. Skanking — the dance most familiar to ska, ska-punk, jump-up, two-tone and reggae fans — is kind of a combination Running Man and a lot of arm-flailing, so you’d best be prepared with proper footwear, as expert Kirchgessner suggested.

“If there is one shoe that is completely synonymous with ska, it’s Doc Martens,” he said. “I love the look of classic Docs, plus they protect your feet from other stomping shoes and broken bottles. However, I have to come clean. I usually wear something lighter. I’ve been wearing Van’s Old Skools lately; they weigh less, so my legs get less tired if I’m out on the dance floor or onstage for an hour or two.”

Mustard Plug (mustardplug.com) will be in concert with special guests The Neighborhood Dogs and The Droogs at InsideOut Gallery in Traverse City on May 7 at 10pm. For tickets and more information, visit facebook.com/insideoutgallerytc or call (231) 929-3254.