Two new original rocksteady songs for you!

“Normal Day” and “New England (You’re the Best) Now Streaming

What is normal, anyway? Some of us just want a nine-to-five. Others cry at the thought. “Normal Day” has nothing to do with quarantine and lots to do with figuring out what you want out of life.

“New England” is our Americana-Rocksteady love letter to the northeast USA. We’ve traveled all over but we keep coming back. It’s not perfect, but it’s ours. In fact, it’s the best.

The Big E Hosts Boston Ska Band The New Limits

Late Night Set Will Keep Energy Up at The East Coast’s Largest Fair

This September, Boston-area Ska, Rocksteady & Soul band The New Limits will be bringing their danceable rhythms to The Big E, one of New England’s largest and widest-reaching events. The band’s late night set on Sunday, September 15th at The E Stage (8:30 – 10:30) will keep the fair’s energy going well into the night, and the band will be in good company performing alongside nationally-recognized acts throughout the festival like Ludacris, Diplo, Average White Band, and Public Enemy.

The New Limit’s appearance at the fair follows the release of the band’s new single “Dead Weight”, with more material set to be released in the coming months. The band is excited to be the second ever ska band to play the fair [citation needed]!

The band’s vocalist Julia Wolfe says it best:

“I’ve been attending the Big E since high school, and it’s the only place you can try cheese from every New England state, walk through an unnecessarily large butter sculpture, and most importantly, see your favorite artists from the very front row of the Big E’s many stages. To say I’m thrilled and honored to play the E Stage is an understatement, so I’ll say we are absolutely ECSTATIC to bring our love of ska to such a legendary event!”

Date: Sun, Sep 15, 2024
Time: 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: The E Stage, The Big E, West Springfield, MA
Included with fair admission, no additional ticket required

“We are incredibly excited about the variety and quality of performers we have lined up for The E Stage this year. Our goal is to provide a platform for local emerging bands to reach a wider audience, and we believe our guests will be delighted with the talent on display.”

– John Juliano of Mellowship Entertainment, The Big E’s talent buyer and entertainment program manager (via WWLP)


About The Big E

September 13-29, 2024

The Big E is the largest event on the East Coast and the seventh largest fair in North America. Attendees can enjoy hours of free entertainment and attractions, terrific food, plus the best that New England—and beyond—has to offer. Highlights include authentic New Orleans Mardi Gras in The Big Parade, an immersive Ireland adventure in the International Plaza’s Dingle Peninsula Showcase, North American Midway, as well as countless educational opportunities from the Avenue of States to Storrowton Village Museum, Farm-A-Rama and more. The Big E offers a diverse and vibrant experience to visitors from throughout the country.

The Big E is an annual event that begins on the second Friday after Labor Day and runs for 17 days. Eastern States Exposition is home to the Fair. ESE is not owned by any specific individual or group and is organized as a not-for-profit, educational institution under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its governing body is a volunteer Board of Trustees consisting of distinguished civic, business and agricultural leaders from each of the six New England states.

The E Stage spotlights up-and-coming musicians at The Big E. The venue was developed to showcase emerging and regional artists dedicated to creating original music.

https://www.thebige.com/theestage

https://www.thebige.com/thenewlimits

https://www.thebige.com/p/generalinfo/bigeinfo

Koozies and CDs Now Available Online

Head to Bandcamp today to buy a koozie or a CD! Any physical merch purchases come with free stickers and pins. On Bandcamp Fridays, Bandcamp waives their revenue splits so we get all of your financial support. Where’s that money going? Hopefully into a new record that we very much want to make.

sHOP ON bANDCAMP

You can also find our CD, alongside other great local records, at Monumental Market in Jamaica Plain, also home to Light of Day Records.

cd on the shelf

rehearsal photosWhat 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!

If you’ve already collected all of our releases, we thank you for your support! Please visit bandcamp and support other artists!

The New Limits Release Debut Self-Titled Album

The New Limits Photo by Marie Craig

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Record Available For Streaming, Download July 25

Boston-based ska, rocksteady and soul band The New Limits will release their debut self-titled album on July 25th, 2017 via Date Night Records. The new album will be available for stream and purchase on iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, and wherever else you listen to music.

The New Limits follows the 2015 release of the band’s debut EP Pressure Up, which served as an introduction to the Boston band’s distinct blend of danceable music. This new record expands on that template, and presents a more diverse range of sounds than would have been possible from a four-song EP.

The band will mark the occasion with an album release show on Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at O’Brien’s Pub. Having previously sold out the Allston venue, The New Limits knew this was a natural location for the celebration. Supporting the night will be roots reggae act Mr. Ice from Cambridge and rocksteady band The Steady 45s on tour from Los Angeles. Tickets are on sale now.

First single and leadoff track “Loss for Words” starts with a burst of soulful energy from the rhythm section, welcoming a catchy horn line to create a groove that sets the tone for the rest of the record. In the two years since their initial EP’s release, the band began to experiment with a more soul-oriented sound, which shows in tracks like “What’s The Worst That Could Happen” and “Up in the Air”. With “Stir the Pot”, the band channels The Aggrolites for a funky, mid-tracklist jam. Showing further diversity, tracks like “New Way” and “Part of Me” have a more contemplative, reggae feel that successfully contrasts the rest of the album’s energy.

ABOUT THE NEW LIMITS

Formed near the end of 2012, The New Limits began as a collection of veteran ska musicians playing the styles of music they grew up with inside of an Allston garage. In trying to emulate the classic ska, rocksteady, and reggae sounds of the past, the band found inspiration in both local and far-reaching bands like Westbound Train, Deal’s Gone Bad, The Slackers, The Pietasters, and The Planet Smashers. The six-piece band is anchored by the rhythm section of Jake Wilkenfeld-Mongillo (formerly of New York’s The Hard Times and Hey Stranger) on guitar and background vocals, Thomas Vezeau on drums, and Alex Chiasson on bass guitar. Matty C, known for his performances with Mass. Hysteria, The Allstonians, and Big D and The Kids Table, brings his unique tenor voice to the mix, along with trumpet duties. Along with Matty, Bradford Hewitt and Miles Blackwood round out the band’s horn section on trombone and alto saxophone, respectively.

The New Limits was recorded by Calum Brockie at Studio A in The Record Company, a non-profit recording studio in South Boston. The recordings were then passed to Brooklyn’s Dave Lowenthal for mixing duties, and then to Richard Marr at Galaxy Park Studios in Watertown for mastering. The band crafted the album’s 11 songs while playing at venues throughout New England, including The Middle East in Cambridge, MA, a Boston Harbor cruise supporting The Slackers, and a summer residency at Bernie’s Beach Bar in Hampton, New Hampshire. With the album’s release, the band hopes to continue to play the music they love to an even wider audience.

Praise for the New Limits:

“The New Limits were certainly raised on the tunes during the heyday of American ska; however their take on the genre is no carbon copy.”Skaboom.com

“The band is anchored by a tight rhythm section laying a foundation for soulful vocals and a horn section that knows exactly how to complement a song.” – Steven Bauer, Readjunk.com

“I felt like this band could do no wrong…I can’t state how much this set kicked ass.”Skot Silver, Scott Silva’s Writings & Ramblings

For Fans Of: The Slackers, Westbound Train, Bim Skala Bim, Deal’s Gone Bad, The Planet Smashers, The Toasters, The Pietasters

MEDIA

First single “Loss for Words” can be embedded and streamed via Youtube, Soundcloud, and Spotify:

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GBJ9iTr-UI
  • https://soundcloud.com/thenewlimits/loss-for-words
  • https://open.spotify.com/track/1w4zLk8u0K7OYQNaQjBaq8

Second single “Transition” can be embedded and streamed via Youtube, Soundcloud, and Spotify:

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9cFA75cYRg
  • https://soundcloud.com/thenewlimits/transition
  • https://open.spotify.com/track/5Oam4qTw7FfRMuX0kBnLSh

For more information and an advanced copy of the record, please contact jake@jacobwakeup.com.

Album Artwork – https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zx89603va1q2jmq/AACoKdmJZIsGuHKTfQN9Pa5ca?dl=0

Photo of the Band – https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zx89603va1q2jmq/AACoKdmJZIsGuHKTfQN9Pa5ca?dl=0
Photo Credit to Marie Craig

Track List

  1. Loss For Words
  2. Transition
  3. New Way
  4. Up in the Air
  5. Stir the Pot
  6. What’s the Worst That Could Happen
  7. Champion (Underdog)
  8. I’ll Never Listen
  9. Fuego
  10. Part of Me
  11. Priceless

Album Personnel
Matty C – Vocals, Trumpet, Melodica
Jacob Wake Up! – Guitars
Tom Vezeau – Drums, Timbale
Alex Chiasson – Bass
Miles Blackwood – Sax
Brad Hewitt – Trombone, Piano

The New Limits:

thenewlimits.net

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The New Limits Release Debut EP “Pressure Up”

Four-Song EP Available for Streaming, Download

Boston-based ska and rocksteady band The New Limits released their debut EP entitled “Pressure Up” on January 27th on Date Night Records. The EP is now streaming in all platforms.

 

Formed in just the fall of 2012, The New Limits is composed of veteran ska musicians. Guitarist Jake W-M convened with trumpet player Kosta Zavras, friend and former bandmate, in the hopes of revisiting traditional ska, rocksteady, and reggae beats. Seeking to play the breadth of sounds under the ska umbrella, the band’s primary influences are The Slackers, Westbound Train, The Planet Smashers, The Toasters, and The Specials. They found inspiration in revival bands like Deal’s Gone Bad, Go Jimmy Go, Green Room Rockers, and The Aggrolites, peers who valued the same timeless rhythms. The horn section is filled out by Brad Hewitt on trombone, John “Tibbs” Tibbets on tenor saxophone. Completing the rhythm section were long-time friends and bandmates Alex Chiasson and Tom Vezeau of Waltham. Matty C, known for his performances with The Allstonians, Mass. Hysteria, and Big D and the Kids Table, brings his unique tenor voice and supports the horn section on trumpet. Rounding out the rhythm section and filling out their big sound is keyboardist Matt MacLeod, former lead singer and pianist of The Heavy Beat who currently also supports touring ska band The Snails.

“The band is anchored by a tight rhythm section laying a foundation for soulful vocals and a horn section that knows exactly how to complement a song.”
-Steven Bauer, ReadJunk

 

Matt MacLeod handled this recording’s engineering, tracking and mixing in his home studio in Rockland, MA. Legendary musician and engineer King Django (Stubborn All-Stars, Skinnerbox) took from there for mastering. With only four songs, this EP could only hope to capture a slice of the band’s versatility. “Pressure Up” kicks off the EP with a high impact ska beat, a skinhead reggae guitar, a bluesy horn lick, and a response against those that would bring you down. “Compass” delivers a familiar two-tone, 80’s era ska sound and nod to the different directions our lives might send us. The mood then lightens with the bright, swing sound of “Saturday Morning” and the long nights of partying that leave us in questionable states. The EP closes with the skinhead-reggae-meets-third-wave song “You’re Not Ready,” an uptempo wake up call to the under-motivated and unaccountable.

“The New Limits were certainly raised on the tunes during the heyday of American ska; however their take on the genre is no carbon copy.”
-Ska-Boom.com

 

The New Limits have performed at such Boston staples as The Middle East Upstairs and Downstairs, O’Brien’s Pub in Allston, The Midway in Jamaica Plain, and the Allston Street Fair. They’ve shared the stage with such acts as Westbound Train, The Allstonians, Bim Skala Bim, The Beatdown, and Deal’s Gone Bad. 2015 finds them conquering New England, and joining The Slackers for their annual Boat Cruise around the Boston Harbor on July 17.

Physical CDs available at live shows and via the band’s web store.

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