Voluntary Hazing

Ah, you think ska is dead, don't you? That's what people keep telling Voluntary Hazing. But they keep playing it. Buckle up.

Formed in San Jose, CA, Voluntary Hazing is a 12-piece ska and pop-punk band (although they sometimes stumble into psychedelic, or disco, or acoustic music).

They're a bunch of marching band geeks that grew up being classically trained, but they started feeling a little frisky and decided to play some rock music with their horns. Their interests include skanking, emo music, and memes. So many memes.

As one would expect, they used to start almost every practice with "Sell Out" by Reel Big Fish, and they've had six bassists since their inception in the oh-so-fateful fall of 2017. They have a full horn section with trombones and trumpets, and alto, tenor and bari saxes.

Their debut EP, 'Crossroads,' was written, recorded, mixed and mastered entirely by members of the band. What's it about, you ask? Existentialism, dance critics, crossword puzzles, Swedish beer, punk dudes who want to own farms... The usual.

THE BAND DOES NOT ADVOCATE HAZING. I REPEAT, THEY DO NOT ADVOCATE HAZING. It's all voluntary. That's a fun story you'll definitely have to ask them about.

In the meantime, enjoy the music. Some of their mothers are a little wary of it. But it's fine. Really.

Actually, it's not.

This is so sad.

Alexa, play Despacito.

(Photos by Meredith Williams @mere_wphoto, Joseph Khalifa @josephkhalifaphoto, and Elysia Arriola @elysia.a.photography)