Bumpin Uglies

Annapolis, Maryland’s Bumpin' Uglies offer up a melody-driven, free-spirited blend of ska, reggae, and punk with a strong focus on lyrics and crowd-pleasing grooves. Since their formation in 2008, the hard-touring troupe have blazed a trail across the United States, delivering high energy live shows at clubs and festivals, and building on a hybrid ska-punk legacy that began with pioneering road dogs like Reel Big Fish, Mustard Plug, and Voodoo Glow Skulls. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Brandon Hardesty, bassist Dave Wolf, and drummer TJ Haslett — versatile keyboardist Chad Wright joined the fold midway through the band’s career. Citing a shared love for like-minded purveyors of sonic fun like Sublime, Beach Boys, and Bad Religion, the band went from regional favorites to a national draw via a slew of EPs and acclaimed full-length outings like Go Folk Yourself (2012), Keep It Together (2016), Beast from the East (2018), and Mid-Atlantic Dub (2022). ~ James Christopher Monger