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Dance Hall Crashers (often abbreviated to "DHC") is a ska punk band from Berkeley, California, that formed in 1989. The band was originally made up from two of the members of seminal ska-punk band Operation Ivy. Since both Matt Freeman and Tim "Lint" Armstrong were interested in playing in a purely ska outfit, they recruited original drummer and ska enthusiast Erik Larsen (aka Erik Kolacek). The band's original logo and designs were created by Jacob "Kuba" Schwarz, the older brother of later singer Karina Deniké Schwarz. The name itself was brought to the band by Erik Larsen from a song by an older Jamaican ska band. The band started as the result of a conversation (at Tim and Matt's house on Kains Ave. in Berkeley a few blocks from Gilman Street) over the need for a more roots style ska/ rock-steady band between Matt, Tim, Joey Schaaf, and Andrew Champion. The first line-up was based on these four with the addition of Erik Larsen after Andrew called him up and got him to take time away from the Liquidators (His then current project, also a roots style ska band) to sit in on the new project. Grant Mcintire (Friend and sometime roadie for Operation Ivy) was also brought in on guitar and to help with songwriting duties.

The band experimented with various songs and styles until they played the very first purely ska show ever booked at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley. Although the band played ska, the feeling and the vibe was definitely influenced by punk rock.

Immediately following their debut, Matt and Tim decided to pursue other interests, mainly a new project called Downfall.

DHC then spent a period of time experimenting with various lineups, finally settling with Karina Deniké Schwarz on lead vocals, Elyse Rogers on background vocals, Jason Hammon on guitar, Joel Wing on bass and Erik Larsen on drums.

Following a series of gigs and the usual ups and downs of a young band, DHC finally caught a break playing at an all-ska Earth Day festival at Berkeley's Greek Theatre in 1990. Also on the bill was legendary band Bad Manners from the UK.

Dance Hall Crashers disbanded soon after, bowing to pressure from fans to play a reunion gig in 1992; the response to their performance was so positive that they immediately reformed on a permanent basis, settling on a lineup of Rogers and Denike on vocals, Hammon on guitar, his brother Gavin on drums, guitarist Scott Goodell and bassist Mikey Weiss.

In 1994 a short west coast tour was booked with SCREW 32(Screw 32 had two ex-members of the Dance Hall Crashers A. Champion and Mcintire) to bury the hatchet (so to speak) over disputes of lyrical as well as song writing credits.

The very first group signed to MCA’s new 510 division, they issued their debut LP Lockjaw in 1995. A compilation of early singles, The Old Record, followed in 1996 before they resurfaced a year later with their second studio album, Honey I’m Homely. A steady stream of releases followed, including 1998’s Blue Plate Special EP, the 1999 studio effort Purr, and 2000’s The Live Record: Witless Banter and 25 Mildly Antagonistic Songs About Love.

As of January 2008, the band members lead separate lives and currently on hiatus. In November 2004 they played and recorded a show at the Hollywood House of Blues; the concert was released by Kung Fu Records in September 2005 as part of the popular The Show Must Go Off! DVD series.

Discography

Say Cheese (1989), Self-Released Demo (Cassette Only)
Dance Hall Crashers (1990), Moon Records
1989-1992 (1993), Moon Records (includes most of contents of first two releases, and some single/compilation material)
Lockjaw (1995), MCA
The Old Record (1996), Honest Don's Records (reprint of 1989-1992)
Honey I'm Homely (1997), MCA
Blue Plate Special EP (1998), MCA
Purr (1999), Pink and Black
The Live Record: Witless Banter & 25 Mildly Antagonistic Songs About Love (2000), Pink and Black
Live at the House of Blues (2005), (The Show Must Go Off! live DVD)

Music by DHC has also appeared on a wide variety of ska, ska-punk, and pop-punk compilations, as well as movie soundtracks.

Members

Current

Elyse Rogers – vocals
Karina Deniké – vocals
Jason Hammon – guitar
Mikey Weiss – bass
Gavin Hammon – drums

Former

Tim Armstrong – vocals
Andrew "Andrew Champion" Ataie – vocals
J. Grant Mcintire guitar
Billy Bouchard – guitar
Matt Freeman – vocals,bass
Scott Goodell – guitar
Jeremy Goody – Trumpet
Ingrid Jonsson – vocals
Erik Larsen, aka Erik Kolacek – drums
Leland McNeely – vocals
Joey Schaaf – keyboard
Joel Wing – bass

External links

Official Site
AllMusic.com entry
Joey Schaaf, a Musical biography at LoudRockMusic.com

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 | URL                 = [http://www.dancehallcrashers.com/ DanceHallCrashers.com]
 | Current_members     = Elyse Rogers<br>Karina Deniké<br>Jason Hammon<br>Mikey Weiss<br>Gavin Hammon
-| Past_members        = [[Andrew Champion]]<br>Scott Goodell<br>Ingrid Jonsson<br>Leland McNeely<br>[[Tim Armstrong]]<br>[[Matt Freeman]]<br>Joel Wing<br>Erik Larsen aka Erik Kolacek<br>Joey Schaaf<br>J. Grant Mcintire
+| Past_members        = [[Andrew Champion]]<br>Scott Goodell<br>Ingrid Jonsson<br>Leland McNeely<br>[[Tim Armstrong]]<br>[[Matt Freeman]]<br>Joel Wing<br>Erik Larsen aka [http://www.facebook.com/kolacek.erik Erik Kolacek]<br>Joey Schaaf<br>J. Grant Mcintire
 }}
-'''Dance Hall Crashers''' (often abbreviated to "'''DHC'''") is a [[ska punk]] [[Musical band|band]] from [[Berkeley, California]], that formed in 1989. The band was originally made up from two of the members of seminal ska-punk band [[Operation Ivy (band)|Operation Ivy]].  Since both Matt Freeman and Tim "Lint" Armstrong were interested in playing in a purely ska outfit, they recruited original drummer and ska enthusiast Erik Larsen aka Erik Kolacek.  The band's original logo and designs were created by Jacob "Kuba" Schwarz, the older brother of later singer Karina Deniké Schwarz. The name itself was brought to the band by Erik Larsen from a song by an older Jamaican ska band. The band started as the result of a conversation (at Tim and Matt's house on Kains Ave. in Berkeley a few blocks from Gilman Street) over the need for a more roots style ska/ rock-steady band between Matt, Tim, Joey Schaaf, and Andrew Champion. The first line-up was based on these four with the addition of Erik Larson after Andrew called him up and got him to take time away from the Liquidators (His then current project, also a roots style ska band) to sit in on the new project. Grant Mcintire (Friend and sometime roadie for Operation Ivy) was also brought in on guitar and to help with songwriting duties.
+'''Dance Hall Crashers''' (often abbreviated to "'''DHC'''") is a [[ska punk]] [[Musical band|band]] from [[Berkeley, California]], that formed in 1989. The band was originally made up from two of the members of seminal ska-punk band [[Operation Ivy (band)|Operation Ivy]].  Since both Matt Freeman and Tim "Lint" Armstrong were interested in playing in a purely ska outfit, they recruited original drummer and ska enthusiast Erik Larsen (aka Erik Kolacek).  The band's original logo and designs were created by Jacob "Kuba" Schwarz, the older brother of later singer Karina Deniké Schwarz. The name itself was brought to the band by Erik Larsen from a song by an older Jamaican ska band. The band started as the result of a conversation (at Tim and Matt's house on Kains Ave. in Berkeley a few blocks from Gilman Street) over the need for a more roots style ska/ rock-steady band between Matt, Tim, Joey Schaaf, and Andrew Champion. The first line-up was based on these four with the addition of Erik Larsen after Andrew called him up and got him to take time away from the Liquidators (His then current project, also a roots style ska band) to sit in on the new project. Grant Mcintire (Friend and sometime roadie for Operation Ivy) was also brought in on guitar and to help with songwriting duties.
 The band experimented with various songs and styles until they played the very first purely ska show ever booked at [[924 Gilman Street]] in Berkeley.  Although the band played ska, the feeling and the vibe was definitely influenced by punk rock.