The band The Supervillains is returning to Gainesville and bringing along the wild live show it is best known for.
Much like Blink-182’s "The Mark, Tom and Travis Show," where the band’s constant banter and jokes turn the set into a hilarious and entertaining time, The Supervillains have become known for their crazy, uncandid shows.
"That’s exactly what it is," said drummer and co-vocalist Dominic Maresco, who goes by his stage name Dom during performances. "It’s the Skart and Dom show, you know, the Dom and Skart show, whichever way you want to put it."
The Orlando-based band has grown into something much bigger than just a ska band. Pat Lavery, owner of Glory Days Presents, wrote in an email that Glory Days has been bringing the band to Gainesville for about 12 years. It’s a party band that crosses genres from reggae to punk rock, he said.
"They opened for the Less Than Jake Wake N Bake weekend for the second time this year, and we are happy to have them back at High Dive headlining," Lavery said.
This "awesome college town" is always one of the band’s favorite stops, Dom said. The band played at the venue before it was High Dive and even before its members were a national act.
"Our bass player actually went to U of F, so you know, we’ve got a little history there in the town," Dom said. "But we’ve been going there for, you know, close to 15 years playing to the good folks in Gainesville."
Influenced by many acts, they’ve picked up some "different things from different bands." One of those bands is "Gainesville heroes" Less Than Jake, Dom said.
"Some stuff just rubs off, you know," he said.
The drummer doesn’t believe people want to go to shows just to listen to a CD. For Dom, a good live show is important, so shows get a little crazy — and people act up.
At a The Supervillains show, the people who really act up can be presented with unique opportunities. During past shows, fans have been invited onstage to perform stunts to win merchandise, Lavery said.
"Yeah there’s been a couple of those, man, there’s been a couple of those," Dom said.
Dom recalled the incidents.
"It’s terrible to even say one was a kick to the junk onstage for a free shirt," Dom said.
And another: "We talked a crowd member into coming up and having our merch guy spit in his mouth."
It’s all in good fun, he said.
When the crowd gets really wild, there’s always one or two people who try to disrupt the set while they’re playing. The band members like to pick on the people who like to pick on them during the set.
Although they’re more than willing to get a little crazy with their live show, the members take their music very seriously, and Dom said he believes the band has progressed into much more than a typical ska band over the years.
"I don’t wanna be a cookie-cutter band," he said. "I don’t wanna be the guys that play the same 15 tunes every night."
For Dom and his short attention span, frequent tempo changes keep the music fresh and fun for the band and its fans.
"We’ve progressed over the years into something weird and not normal, you know what I mean? So I’m excited to be outside of what everybody else is doing," Dom said. "I like to do what we want to do."
The band does not make a record with anything in mind other than writing the music it wants to. They also said they don’t feel compelled to stay within the confines of any particular genre.
Dom attributes the band’s popularity to its originality.
When the band’s record deal was up with Law Records, it moved its albums to its own label, Rah Rah Rah Records. The band Abandon the Midwest is also signed to the label and will be performing at Friday’s show.
Dom said the label is always looking to bring in new acts, especially those ready to go and willing to work, qualities he noticed in Abandon the Midwest.
He is ready to perform in Gainesville again.
"Very appreciative of all the people we have up there and we’re excited for the show and you know we’re always excited to be up there in Gainesville," Dom said. "You know we’re always appreciative of the Gainesville green and all that good stuff man."
The band will perform Friday at High Dive, 210 SW Second Ave. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $10 on ticketfly.com or $13 at the show.
