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Show Review: Stacked Like Pancakes preview new tunes with brash live performance

Stacked Like Pancakes is the oddball band you haven’t heard of- yet.

The self-proclaimed “brass-rock” band clamored into Phoenix on the preview tour for their new album Strange Creatures.

Local bands 2000 Foot Turtle and Bad Funk kicked off the evening with energetic sets that drew support from their hometown fans. Bad Funk especially had their audience moving with a loud, fast-paced set that never let the crowd catch their breath.

Despite a portion of the crowd leaving after the openers, Stacked Like Pancakes squished their six-piece outfit onstage for one hell of a good time. Singer and sometimes-guitarist Kellen McKay commanded his small audience, keeping energy levels high enough to draw people away from the bar.

Stacked Like Pancakes is a zany band, they know it and people love it. Just to make sure they hold nothing back early on, they played “S F D D.” A subtle acronym for “shit fuck dammit dammit,” it’s their song “for people who like to swear.” These guys have been playing music together for a hot minute and their coordination as a group is flawless. From the standard ska sway to perfectly placed solos from almost every member, the entire show was hard to look away from in the best way. The amazing duo of trumpet and trombone to accentuate the rest of the group was especially riveting.

Stacked Like Pancakes is using this run of shows to preview their new album. Normally this would be a typical plan of action, but this is not just any album. SLP successfully crowdfunded over $100,000 in a viral campaign to produce, market and tour on this ambitious record.

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That being said, the band debuted stellar new music on this run, including the irresistible “Dreamcatcher.” Sticking close to their ska roots, SLP is also experimenting further with twenty one pilots-esque rapid fire vocals, intermixed with their signature big brass sound.

Between the band’s cajoling and their undeniably catchy songs, the rest of the crowd slowly inched toward the front all evening, culminating in a group singalong for SLP’s chosen cover of “Dammit” by Blink-182. They closed the fun night with “Suburban Superhero” before stepping offstage to say hi to each member of their Pancake Nation.

Stacked Like Pancakes may have a silly (and meaningless) band name, but there’s no doubt that they bring the party wherever they go. Despite still being unsigned, they are clearly destined for much larger success with their unique take on music. Like many of the offbeat music we love here at Atlas, SLP is yet another band to keep on your radar- you’ll be seeing their name in lights in no time.

 

Story and photos by Olivia Khiel