Save Ferris is bringing their ska-infused punk to The Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival this year to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Hailing from Orange County, California, the band is probably best known for a song that’s not their own; vocalist Monique Powell says their breakout cover of Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come on Eileen” is reminiscent of her childhood.
“I just remembered [‘Come On Eileen’] from when I was a child, and it made me really happy. And I just love that song, and so I suggested that we kind of Ferrisize it and cover it,” says Powell.
The band name is a tip of the hat to a quote from John Hughes’ hit movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
“We just love John Hughes’ films. It was kind of like our thing when we were kids, you know, we loved all of them,” says Powell, “And Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, just, I don’t know, kind of embodied this fun, life-goes-pretty-fast, got-to-live-it kind of attitude that sort of was our ethos.”
In 2004, the band took a hiatus; by 2013, increased neck and back pain caused Powell to need a risky surgery. Due to a lack of medical insurance, treatment wasn’t possible. After imaging was complete, her condition looked dire; doctors gave her the option of either walking or singing. It wasn’t until she found a doctor who was able to do the surgery from the back of her neck instead of the front that she had the chance to both walk and sing. Going into surgery, she decided that if it was successful, she’d get the band back together; it was the drive she needed to get through recovery.
“It was a really scary, scary time, but bringing the band back gave me something to aspire, something to get well for,” she says. “And having a hometown show booked that was sold out, it was a big show, was everything I needed to know; like I’m doing the right thing. People still love Save Ferris and you’re doing the right thing; all this struggle is worth it.”
Fans are the driving force for Save Ferris; their return to the stage was welcomed with open arms. From a hiatus and a life-altering surgery to headlining Warped Tour and packing out the House of Blues, Save Ferris has had an incredible comeback.
“Seeing lines of people outside for venues in towns where Save Ferris has maybe made it once in 30 years, like Lawrence, Kansas, was amazing,” says Powell. “Like, Save Ferris maybe played The Bottleneck, you know, in 1998 and so the fact that people are showing up for these shows, that’s definitely a highlight. I’m always surprised. I’m always like, ‘Oh, you’re willing to buy a ticket. Okay, I’ll do my best.’”
Touring comes with its challenges. Powell, a self-professed over-packer, warns to not be like her and pack light—seven days of sweat-resistant, easy-to-wash clothes, good deodorant, and body spray. Most importantly, Powell advises musicians to know why they are making music.
“Don’t give up, you know, establish early on why you’re doing what you’re doing, because all the guys that I played with that picked up a guitar to meet chicks are no longer playing music,” she says. “But when your motivations are in the right place, you know you do it because you love it. It’s a difficult journey, but it’s the love that gets you through.”
Save Ferris
8 pm Friday, June 20
$65, Victoria Curling Club
saveferris.com