...presenting the brand new LP “Dark Side of Paradise” from Hi-Tide Recordings
While Messer Chups’ sound is hard to neatly categorize, it is embraced by fans of rockabilly, horror punk, vintage surf records, Italian slasher films, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Pulp Fiction, lounge music, the theremin, The Cramps, and the theme song from The Munsters. Their catchy music combines surf, vintage Russian melodies, rare film samples from the 50s and 60s, scratchy historical recordings, and lounge loops. Live, they explode with garage-punk intensity. Messer Chups is Oleg “Guitaracula” on guitar, Svetlana “Zombierella” on bass and vocals and Signor Mattia on drums. Through their constant touring and steady music releases, the band has now amassed a huge and passionate global fan base.

The Manakooras are a “Surf-Xotica” supergroup featuring members of The Aqualads, Satan’s Pilgrims, The Intoxicators and The Penetrators. The band was formed in 2019 and focuses on bringing traditional exotica to the mainstream surf music genre. The Manakooras released their first full length album “Jungle of Steel” at Hukilau in 2022 to critical acclaim. Recently featured in Vintage Guitar Magazine and a high-profile NY fashion ad, their music is intriguing and fun. Perfect for backyard lū’aus and powerful enough to stand alongside heavy-duty surf rock acts.

Surfer Joe has been involved in the surf music scene since the middle of the 90s, building up his name worldwide as a musician and event organizer. By currently playing more than a hundred concerts a year around the world, Surfer Joe is the most active artist in modern surf music. In addition to participating in the most important surf-related events around the world, including festivals in the USA and all over Europe, and being mentioned or interviewed in books and movies about the genre, he has released seven full length recordings, five EPs and two 7-inch singles. His recordings have also appeared on over nine compilation releases. Surfer Joe represents the true, authentic side of surf music, carrying on the sound and energy legacy of the original early 60s California bands, while introducing his own unique style.

The Philadelphia-based band has been bringing their breezy and evocative sound to audiences since the group came together behind steel guitars Isaac Stanford in early 2012. Specializing in obscure and overlooked melodies from far and wide, the group can transition seamlessly from a traditional Hawaiian melody to an Argentinian tango followed by a classic of the American Song book.

The theme for the Thursday Night Kick-Off party is Mystery...and the bands are highly mysterious. Who can they be?

9th Wave has been performing since 1995, from the northeast (NYC, Boston) as far south as Fort Lauderdale FL, and west to California. Regulars at every Instro Summit (music festival in NC), and Ohana Luau at the Lake (tiki festival in upstate NY), 9th Wave, from Storrs CT, plays a diverse combination of surf, exotica & hot rod music at regional music and tiki festivals, hot rod/motorcycle/custom car shows, cultural institutions, clubs, and more. With their unique and signature style, 9th Wave has recorded seven full-length CDs of original music. The 9th Wave sound is made up of Mike “Staccato” Rosado on lead surf guitar, Negative Ed on bass, Phred Rawles on drums, and Sandy Rosado on Farfisa organ, rhythm guitar, flute, piccolo, and saxophone. 9th Wave and the Rosados are also champions of East Coast Surf Music, and are the founders and directors of The North East Surf Music Alliance, the largest network of surf bands in the world.