Sublime was arguably the most energetic, original and uniquely eclectic band to emerge from any scene, anywhere, but ended with the untimely death of lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Brad Nowell in 1996. But encompassing the sense of place and purpose long associated with Sublime’s music, Badfish, a tribute to Sublime, has continued to channel the spirit of Sublime with a fury not felt for quite some time. What separates Badfish from other tribute bands is that they have replicated Sublime’s essence, developing a scene and dedicated following most commonly reserved for label-driven, mainstream acts.

Formed in 2001, Badfish has become one of the biggest club and theater acts in the Northeast and Midwest. Consistently selling out many shows at some of the most prominent venues throughout the country, promoters continue to be in awe that a tribute band is turning several hundred fans away from the doors each night. Badfish is rivaling the biggest tributes in the music business including Dark Star Orchestra and Super Diamond.

Over the last few years, some of the venues Badfish has sold out include Avalon (Boston), House of Blues (Chicago, Atlantic City and Las Vegas), Lincoln Theater (Raleigh, N.C.), Lupo’s (Providence, R.I.), Opera House (Toronto), Revolution (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Starland Ballroom (Sayerville, N.J.) and many more.

Badfish make their mark on the audience by playing with the spirit of Sublime. They perform not as Sublime would have, or did, but as Badfish does. The attitude of Sublime cannot be faked, so Badfish doesn’t try – its own tribute is one that works. What hits everyone the most is the heart that these four musicians pour into their show. These technically skilled players sound just like Sublime, and some fans say that seeing Badfish live is the most fun they’ve ever had at a show.