Bad Operation
photo by Dalton Spangler

Watch pro-shot video of Bad Operation's first show

When New Orleans ska band Bad Operation formed in late 2019 (with members of Fatter Than Albert, PEARS, Dominic Minix Quartet, and more), their only goal was to play a show, as they told us in an interview last year. The show was booked for March 12, and as the whole country went into lockdown that week, it was cancelled. At the tail-end of 2020, they ended up releasing their self-titled debut album, and it quickly became one of the most widely-loved ska albums in years. We recently named it one of 64 essential ska albums from 1964 to present.

Now that live music has returned, Bad Operation finally got to achieve their original goal: they played a free hometown show on October 2 at Banks Street Bar with their Bad Time Records labelmates Joystick and Stuck Lucky. “After 19 months of false starts to be able to finally play our songs with an audience of friends and family was a feeling that could be described as cathartic, emotional, and ecstatic,” the band said. “We are filled with gratitude, appreciation, & love for everyone who came by.”

The band have now released pro-shot videos from that show (by Mitch Wells of Thou, who also works on all their music videos) of their eponymous song and “Bagel Rooks.” The band sound as tight as they do on their album, and the show looks like it was a ton of fun. Watch below.

Bad Operation’s next live show is at The Fest this month, and Bad Time Records have a new Fest comp on the way.

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