The “New York State of Ska” is a team up of four artists from across The Empire State. The Abruptors, Girth Control, Ben Basile, and The Doomstompers will be
showcasing a modern mixture of ska, rocksteady, ska-punk, and reggae. The lineup will rotate each night with the hometown artist headlining their city. The shows are happening August 14 & 15th and September 25th & 26th.

Friday, August 14th – No Fun, Troy, NY 7pm Doors 8pm Show – $15/$20 – 18+ (Unless with guardian)
Saturday, August 15th – Area 54, Buffalo, NY 7pm Doors 8pm Show – $15/$20 – All Ages
Friday, September 25th – The Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 7pm Doors 8pm Show – $15/$20 – 21+
Saturday, September 26th – Kaal Rock Park, Poughkeepsie, NY 4pm Show – Free – All Ages

If you want to know about each band:

The Abruptors are a ska band based out of Buffalo, NY. Formed in 2015, the band’s sound has evolved over the years, into a blend of ska, reggae, and rocksteady that they feel fits their dogged, upbeat vibe. Since The

Abruptors signed with Asian Man Records that year, the band has cemented themselves in the ska scene and found their voices through the genre. Now they look forward to promoting their latest release, Everything You Know Is Wrong, and its songs about mental health, navigating disasters, and conversations they’ve discovered are more important.

Inspired by the beauty of punk rock in all its permutations, Albany New York trio Girth Control specializes in ska/punk singalongs where the hooks keep coming, the jokes never quit, and the sincerity sneaks up on you. Formed in 2014 by members of upstate ska and punk favorites Public Access and The Slaughterhouse Chorus, Girth Control continues on a neverending mission to keep things catchy and honest while having as much fun as humanly possible. It’s the sound of three punk rock lifers fueled by the infectious joy of making dumb music with good friends, still stoked after all these years.

Ben Basile is a bassist, educator, and composer from New York’s Hudson Valley. Ben’s debut solo album, Benergy, was released May 2025 on an imprint of Wiretap Records called Sleep Walk Sounds. Ben has performed, composed, recorded, and toured across six continents with a variety of groups. Most notably, he has been a member of Boston’s Big D and The Kids Table since 2013 and is a founding member of The Poughkeepsie Jazz Project. Ben brings an all-star band performing an exciting blend of ska, reggae, and jazz.

The Doomstompers are a punk-rocksteady band from Queens, New York. Born in 2025, the band threw themselves into the universe, and haven’t looked back. They are influenced by 60s Jamaican ska, reggae, and rocksteady and also legends like Bad Brains, The Beastie Boys, and MF Doom. The group aims to pay homage to New York City’s grit and culture while creating their own distinct brand of ska music. This organ-forward five piece group released their debut album Take A Beat on Bad Time Records on June 12, 2026.

For more info, visit: https://benbasile.com/newyorkstateofska