Chase Long Beach delivers a relentless surge of energy that bridges the gap between third-wave ska and aggressive pop punk. Their sound is defined by a massive horn section that provides more than just background noise; the trumpets and trombones act as lead instruments, trading blows with distorted guitar riffs. The vocals of Karen Roberts provide a necessary edge, cutting through the dense instrumentation with a mix of melodic hooks and punk rock grit.
What truly distinguishes them is their rhythmic urgency. While many ska bands lean into a relaxed reggae pocket, Chase Long Beach keeps the tempo high and the basslines busy, creating a sound that feels constantly in motion. There is a distinct Southern California sunshine-meets-asphalt quality to their music, capturing the frantic but fun spirit of the 2000s Warped Tour era while maintaining a modern, punchy production style.
For those new to the band, Gravity Is What You Make It is the definitive starting point. It showcases their ability to balance infectious, sing-along choruses with technical horn arrangements and high-speed punk drumming. It is the perfect soundtrack for anyone who misses the golden age of MySpace-era ska but wants a band that can still deliver fresh, high-energy anthems today.
Chase Long Beach is an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, that formed in 2002 by lead vocalist Karen Roberts and former bassist/vocalist Patrick Fitzgerald. In 2007, they released their first full-length album, LeBeC, produced by Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish. In 2009, Chase Long Beach signed to Victory Records, managed by Hardline Entertainment and released their second album, Gravity is What You Make It, on June 23, 2009. In 2022 Chase Long Beach returned for a reunion show and in 2023 released the song, "Mammoth", stating that the band would be releasing more new music in the coming year. In 2024, Chase Long Beach released the first two singles, "Repo Jake" and "Secrets Of Summer", from an upcoming record to be titled, Rico's Cocktail Club.
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