Nikki DarlingView more photos in Timothy Norris' “The Aquabats @ Henry Fonda Theater” slideshow.
Friday night at the Henry Ford Theater the Aquacadets came in force. They sat on the standing-room-only floor and formed the largest game of Duck Duck Goose ever conducted in a venue (and probably the only game of duck duck goose ever conducted in a venue at all).
They were dressed in requisite Aquabat attire: White belts, aviator masks, shirts from concerts past. Some wore homemade Tees that said things like, 'Baron Von Tito,' referencing the band's one-time drummer Travis Barker of Blink 182, who sat at the Aquabat helm during a portion of the bands golden years during the mid nineties.
Credit: Timothy Norris
Parents came with children and held them on their shoulders; children came dressed as tiny blue Aquabats. Teenagers filed in ahead of their parents, the older ones lingering in the back of the theatre, eagerly anticipating the end of the show with frequent watch glances and eyeglass adjustments. Old age is apparently no fun.
You missed something special on Friday night; Credit: Timothy Norris
Beach balls and blow-up bunnies bounced through the crowd. Buddies held each other up good-naturedly on their shoulders and shoved the Aquabat hand signal into the air, until one by one the room filled with the symbol of the Aquabat.
Credit: Timothy Norris
And of the Bats themselves? Nothing but pure enjoyment. “Pizza Party” was played against a video loop of '80s skate footage and classic B-movie horror films. Someone dressed as a cobra came and danced alongside The Caped Commander during “Attacked By Snakes.”
DJ Lance Rock, who, with members of the Aquabats, are the brains behind Yo Gabba Gabba!; Credit: Timothy Norris
They wittily bantered about Huntington Beach before playing “Two Headed Cat,” and brought the ska-punk spirit, calling forth the power of their influences from Oingo Boingo to Madness to Crass. The Aquabats came to Los Angeles on Friday night and they came to party down.
Are there any more entertaining fans than Aquabats fans?; Credit: Timothy Norris
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