Ska-inspired Rx Bandits schedule OKC checkup

If you need a prescription for layered melodies, frenetic drums and a bouncing horn section, Southern California's Rx Bandits are an easy pill to swallow.

Born from the late-Nineties SoCal ska scene, the band takes the best parts " horns and jazzy licks " and leaves the happy-go-lucky sugar pop behind. The result is pure summer fun, easy enough for anyone to enjoy with enough musical meat for musicians and hardcore music fans to take a bite.

The band members had to find temporary jobs to pay some bills before heading out for a string of shows on their way to this week's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. The week and a half of shows will bring the band to Oklahoma City for a show at The Conservatory, said drummer Chris Tsagakis as he prepared for his temp job surveying California bus riders.

CHANGE
The now five-piece is making a go on their own, having split with Drive Thru Records to work with Mash Down Babylon Records, which was formed by the band's lead singer, Matt Embree.

Tsagakis said the Rx Bandits are looking forward to further change.

"It's something we wanted to for a long time, just to have more control over the music," he said. "(Record labels) just want to do things a certain way and we just ended up maturing to a point where we wanted to things our own way. We have complete control now." "Joe Wertz

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