The four-show run, in support of the band’s 2025 release These Are The Nights, ends with a support slot for the legendary Hepcat
In their 13 years of existence, Boston ska, rocksteady, and soul band The New Limits have never been south of Connecticut, if you can believe it. Touring for local and regional bands has never been harder. The costs of travel and housing, combined with the lack of flexibility in their day jobs, it’s no wonder more people aren’t full-time musicians.
These factors make it all the more impressive that this intrepid group of ska lifers is hitting the road this weekend for a series of upper East Coast shows, their first multi-date/multi-state consecutive run as a band. The tour is named for “A Bigger Wave,” the third track from their 2025 LP These Are The Nights, out on Jump Up Records. It’s a bit of an obvious nod to the string of dates along the Atlantic Ocean, but also an acknowledgment that the tour will have the band expanding their area of operation and getting out of their comfort zone.
The run of shows starts on April 9th at the Wonderland Ballroom in Washington, D.C., where the band will be supporting local reggae/soul act The Soularites. The following night (April 10th), the band will play Otto’s Shrunken Head in New York City with pals The Going Rate and Futon Lasagna. April 11th has the band playing Wissahickon Brewing in Philly, for a show put together by The Heavy Beat, featuring ex-New Limits keyboardist Matt MacLeod. To cap it off, after years of pounding the pavement in Boston, the band was serendipitously asked to open for Hepcat for an extremely rare East Coast date on April 12th at the Paradise Rock Club, making for an exciting welcome home.
The credit is really due to the ska scene as a whole. This long weekend is possible not just because of monthly ska nights like The Subway to Skaville in New York City and venues like the Bluebeat Lounge in DC, but also thanks to friends up and down the coast willing to assist The New Limits with gigs and lodging. With the help of the regional ska community, The New Limits will be cashing in that PTO, digging through the couch for capital, and heading out on the road.
Bigger Wave Weekender Dates
Thu Apr 9 – Wonderland Ballroom
1101 Kenyon St NW, Washington, DC
Bluebeat Lounge with The Soularites
Facebook Event
Fri Apr 10 – Otto’s Shrunken Head
538 E 14th St, New York, NY, between Ave A and B
Subway to Skaville, with The Going Rate and Futon Lasagna
Facebook Event
Sat Apr 11 – Wissahickon Brewing East Falls
3705 W. Schoolhouse Lane, Philadelphia, PA
with The Heavy Beat and Soon Come Sound
Sun Apr 12 – Paradise Rock Club
967 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA
Supporting Hepcat with Pink Slip
Tickets | Facebook Event
Recent Press
“That’s why the appealing lead vocals and piano of Julia Wolfe and soaring trumpet of Michaela Olson give The New Limits such a refreshing sound. And while the septet plays plenty of positive third-wave ska bounce, songwriters Wolfe, guitarist Jacob Wake Up! and saxophonist Miles B. Robinson are just as adept in other styles. There’s the Detroit-soul on “Under the Sun,” the dub reggae-inspired “If I Could,” and even a touch of ragtime jazz on “Mr. Blue.” “These Are The Nights,” released on the revered Jump Up label, shows that The New Limits is yet another ska band that Boston can be proud of. “
– WBUR / NPR
“If you’ve ever played in a band and traveled in a van with that band, you’re going to love this song. Even if you haven’t, this song will still touch something in you—I promise.”
– The Ska Mailman (on “These Are The Nights”)
“The New Limits have a super fresh take on an age-old sound. The way this band blends everything from the rocksteady of the 60s to the 2-tone ska wave of the 80s and all the way to a more modern ska sound is brilliant and is a sound that begs to be seen live.”
– Girl at the Rock Shows
“You know that joke that goes around every few months saying that ska is the sound that plays in a twelve year old’s head when they get an extra mozzarella stick? The New Limits are the grown up version of that sound. This is ska/rocksteady for adults.”
– If It’s Too Loud
About “These Are The Nights” LP
Spotify | Apple Music/iTunes | Bandcamp | YouTube
Boston ska, rocksteady & soul band The New Limits have released their new album, These Are The Nights, on Jump Up Records. The album is the band’s second full-length release, and the first multi-song project since their self-titled album from 2017. Building on the sounds of several singles released in 2024, These Are The Nights contains the most stylistically diverse set of songs the band has released, with songwriting duties divided equally between guitarist Jacob Wake Up!, Singer/Pianist Julia Wolfe, and Alto Saxophonist Miles B Robinson.
Within the album’s 12 tracks, the band weaves between traditional ska grooves, jaunty ragtime, and simmering Motown with ease. Describing the album’s stylistic diversions, Miles B Robinson remarks that “we’ve always been under the ska umbrella, but even before this, we were not penned in to a particular sound. But the thing about These are the Nights that is interesting to me is that there’s still new territory.”
About The New Limits
The New Limits are an explosive ska band from Boston, MA, blending soul, rocksteady, and rock into a high-energy, dance-inducing sound that’s been setting New England ablaze. Known for their eclectic mix of styles and energetic live performances, they’ve become a staple of the Boston music scene and connected with listeners all over the world.
Formed in an Allston garage, The New Limits have quickly graduated to some of the most renowned stages, sharing the spotlight with heavy hitters like The Selecter, The Slackers, Catbite, Westbound Train, Big D and the Kids Table, and The Toasters, and have ignited crowds at festivals such as the Big E, Jamaica Plain Music Festival, and Buffalo Ska Festival.
The New Limits are:
- Julia Wolfe – Lead Vocals, Organ, Piano
- Jacob Wake Up! – Guitar, Vocals
- Thomas Vezeau – Drums
- Alex Chiasson – Bass Guitar
- Miles B Robinson – Alto Saxophone
- Austin Arroco – Trombone
- Michaela Olson – Trumpet
- Rachel Hock – Manager
What have we been up to? Given the circumstances, we’re doing our darnedest to rehearse and learn some new songs. It’s been slowgoing, but as you might imagine, we’re just happy to be in a room making music together. We just can’t wait to perform live again and do some recording. We miss hanging out with you!