Hepcat Gives Hope to the Faithful

Sharp suits, skinny ties. The ska faithful converged on the El Rey Theatre on Friday to indulge in an ancient pop sound, even if the newest rock-steady generation too often turns a once-great and graceful movement into empty rehash. Hepcat, the evening’s headliner, at least offers both hope and history.

Fans who arrived early were rewarded with the mildly diverting garage ska of the Slackers and the Gadjits, two young acts signed to the Hellcat label, an imprint of L.A.’s Epitaph Records. But it was the performance by label mates Hepcat that showed it was possible to reach creatively beyond the current ska fad, which was largely inspired by the chart-burning successes of No Doubt and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

In the hands of the nine-man Hepcat, ska isn’t about gangster poses or reckless bluster but musicianship, ease and energy. If many of the subtle, jazzier elements of the band’s new album, “Right on Time,” were lost in the live setting, Hepcat never lost its sense of style.

That sound was accented frequently by stirring trumpet solos from Kincaid Smith, building on a blueprint established in Jamaica decades ago by the likes of the Skatalites. Hepcat is not taking ska in any bold new directions, but it’s still finding variety within a limited genre.

Next to the sophisticated Hepcat, the eight-man Slackers often sounded raw and awkward at the El Rey. For all their honking and squealing, the Slackers’ brass trio was short on chops and volume. A touch of R&B; helped, and things improved the closer the band edged toward reggae. But it was not nearly enough to escape a sound more fad than inspiration this time around.