Live Review: Less Than Jake / Millie Manders and the Shutup – Whelans, Dublin 29.03.2022

Less Than Jake kicked off their eleven date EU/UK tour in Whelan’s Dublin and supporting them at Whelan’s were Millie Manders and the Shutup, so lets get to them first.

Infectious that’s what Millie Manders and the Shutup are! you know when you put on that Ska/Two Tone/Reggae track and your feet start moving of their own accord, well that there sums them up. Right from the start of their set the crowd were dancing, the band were dancing and Millie was skanking.
Unfortunately their set was way! to short but that be the way of support, only containing six songs.
Coming in at the second last song was their newly recorded version of Not Ok taken from their debut album Telling Truths, Breaking Lies due for release on April 8. See feature on that here ( http://Millie Manders and the Shutup )
The song is about something close to the bands hearts and something we here at Backseat Mafia support and that being the support for those who might suffer from anxiety and mental healthy, as I know I struggle at times so don’t be afraid to say you’re not ok!
The set list was.
One That Got Away
Right to Life
Bitter
Obsession Transgression
Not Ok
Your Story

A recent interview https://www.backseatmafia.com/meet-millie-from-millie-manders-and-the-shutup/

Millie Manders and the Shutup

The Ska Punk legends all the way from Florida that are none other than Less Than Jake take the stage at 9pm and starting right into an eighteen song set lit and opening with Rock and Roll Pizzeria followed by National Anthem, its not long before everyone can tell that these guys like not only to play good tunes but also have a good laugh along the way. Each band member having turns at popping jokes at crowd members, no-ones safe tonight it could be your hair poor guy with the mohawk, it could be your glasses or could even be your dance moves, poor guy that didn’t have any lol, we’ll come back to all this.
Next up was Fat Mikes on Drugs which they guys jokingly expressed their concerns for Fat Mike of NOFX which the song is about. Its then Magnetic North / Motto.
Now let just backtrack here a little to the joking and picking on crowd members, first up was a guy with a fairly big mohawk which was going to draw attention anyway he’s called up on stage (which happens a number of times through out the night with different crowd members) he’s called scruffy but Chris DeMakes lets him off with that because he doesn’t smell of B,O.
Few more songs follow with the likes of History of a Boring Town / The Science of Selling Yourself / Bomb Drop.
Next that was called up on stage was a guy who was directly in front of Mike and as Mike considered had no dance moves so brought him up on stage to perform for the whole room while doing so he also instructed the crowd to follow this guys moves as they played Motown Never Sounded So Good after which the guy went to leave the stage but was told he could stay where he was for the whole set, he didn’t make it! after Look What Happened / Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sell-outs he stepped down.
At another point during the night Mike was trying on people glasses saying he cant afford new ones back home and taking a shot at the U,S’s healthcare system, which he says they basically don’t have one.
We’re treated to Anytime Anywhere / Plastic Cup Politics next and coming near the end now a girl appears on stage asking had anyone found her shoe and said shoe appears on stage to which yep yous guessed it she goes through a ripping as to how she lost it and if they smell or not.
Last two songs now The High Cost of Living and hometown anthem Gainesville Rock City.

Its a two song encore containing My Very Own Flag / All My Best Friends Are Metalheads and that ends the hour and fifteen minute set.
If your up for some good Ska Punk, a stand up comedy show and lot of crowd interaction all rolled into one well its a Less Than Jake show for you my friend.