THE AQUABATS!
w/ The Koffin Kats, Mike V and the Rats
Bats! Kats & Rats Tour
8/1/25 – The Echo – Dallas, TX
©M’Lou Elkins / Skip2Photography.com
The Aquabats! made their triumphant return to Dallas for the second summer in a row, and not even the blazing Texas heat could keep the fans away. All ages, from wide-eyed toddlers to grown-up punks reliving their ska glory days, lined up around The Echo Lounge and Music Hall to experience the wonderfully weird Bats! Kats & Rats Tour.
Mike V and the Rats kicked things off with a hardcore bang. Fronted by skateboarding legend Mike Vallely, the band came in hot with a throwback to the early 2000s punk scene.
Their set was pure energy, with gritty anthems like “The Days,” “Never Give Up,” and “Vendetta,” yes, those songs from Tony Hawk’s Underground and American Wasteland, blasting out to a crowd ready to mosh, pogo, or just headbang in approval.
Then came Koffin Kats, like a back-alley brawl set to a rockabilly beat, tight, loud, and mean in all the right ways. Hailing from Detroit and self-dubbed “gothabilly,” they launched into a high-octane set that never slowed down.
Frontman Vic Victor twirled his upright bass like it weighed nothing, holding it over the crowd like a trophy while guitarist Tommy Koffin shredded with a grin that could’ve lit up the room.
Check out the Koffin Kats concert photo gallery below:
The crowd ate it up, especially their surprise cover of Hall & Oates’ “Maneater,” which got an approving roar. They wrapped things up with “For Hire” from 2006’s Straying from the Pack, and by the end of their set, the room was properly buzzed and ready for the main event.
Just before The Aquabats! took the stage, I noticed something unusual in the photo pit: a group of guys… holding inflatable sharks. Yep. Sharks. Within seconds of the band launching into their cult classic “Shark Fighter!,” those sharks were flying through the air like it was a ska-fueled beach party. I’ve dodged crowd surfers before, but inflatable shark dodging? That’s a new one for the books.
Formed in 1994 in Huntington Beach, CA, The Aquabats! are part band, part superhero team, and 100% committed to putting on a wild show. Led by the ever-charismatic MC Bat Commander and longtime bassist Crash McLarson, the only two original members of the band, they hit the stage in full costume…masks, spandex, and all, and brought their signature comic-book chaos with choreographed fights, silly stunts, and non-stop fun.
I actually interviewed them nearly two decades ago, and let me tell you: seeing them out of costume back then felt like peeking behind the superhero curtain. (Spoiler: they’re still cool without the masks.)
They’ve got seven albums under their utility belts, including last year’s Finally!, but the night’s setlist spanned their whole colorful career. Only “No Rewind!” made an appearance from the new record, which fits their trend as most of their songs, past or present, end in an exclamation point, because why not shout everything?
One of the best parts? A special kids-only section near the stage. Picture tiny superheroes jumping around in full Aquabats gear, living their best lives while singing along with their parents. It was adorable. It was chaos. It was peak Aquabats.
Check out The Aquabats! concert photo gallery below:
The night ended on the highest of highs with back-to-back bangers “Super Rad!” and “Pool Party!!” It was the perfect finale to an evening of surfy-ska madness, inflatable sea creatures, and pure joy.
Until next summer, Aquabats…we’ll be waiting.
