By Mario Tarradell
originally published: 05/27/2026
Photo by Chad Martel
(HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- Badfish is a vibe. Badfish is a sonic house party complete with plenty of gyrating fans sipping libations and enjoying various extracurricular activities. Simply put, Badfish is feel-good music. See for yourself when Badfish performs at The Sandbox at Seastreak on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. It's a great way to celebrate the holiday!
For 22 years, the Rhode Island-based band – Joel Hanks on bass, Scott Begin on drums, Pat Downes on vocals and guitar, Danny Torgersen on horns, keyboards, and guitars – have successfully paid tribute to Sublime, the short-lived but influential California group that brought ska-punk and reggae-rock to the mainstream. Badfish’s heartfelt celebration of Sublime’s musical spirit and legacy is so sought-after that they’ve headlined theaters, sold out shows, and played 15-20 gigs a month.
But now, Badfish is more. After two decades of Sublime reverence, Badfish originality has stomped into high gear. Badfish has released four singles so far, their newest being "Bad Things" (featuring DJ Hoppa), which is the follow up to "F You Pay Me" (featuring Grieves).
Tickets are $18.59 and available for purchase online. The Sandbox at Seastreak is located at 326 Shore Drive in Highlands, New Jersey. It is a casual beach bar with stunning views, awesome cocktails, & delicious food. The show is open to all ages. Doors open at 5:00pm.
Bringing a hard blend of rap, reggae, and splash of soul, "Bad Things" both starts the party and crashes it simultaneously with a classic Sublime-inspired grit, emphasized by hip-hop heavyweight DJ Hoppa's turntables.
Lyrically rooted in status quo dissatisfaction, "Bad Things" takes a reassessment of life and “how bad is bad really”... Nothing's ever quite what you expect and the same goes for this roller-coaster reggae tune, opening with dubiously psycho samples scratched-up by the legendary Hoppa. Frontman Pat Downes & producer Matt Keller together have again made a radio-ready pop hit, but this time with a black ski-mask on it.
Onstage, you get Badfish playing the best of Sublime as well as the best of Badfish.
“Putting out original music alongside being a tribute band has always been a point of interest to us,” says Begin. “It’s been a tricky path to walk, though. Yet as the years have gone by and we’ve gotten to witness our little show turn into somewhat of a movement within the scene, we are at the point where we feel we have something of real heart and value to add not only to our show but to the American reggae scene.”
That means you’ll hear Sublime staples “What I Got,” “Santeria,” and “Wrong Way” woven with Badfish’s own beat-heavy song, “F You Pay Me,” which blends rock, reggae, and hip-hop along with lyrics about re-prioritizing self-preservation as the follow up to the band’s first single “High With You” (featuring Little Stranger). The crowd’s enthusiastic response to these new songs makes them feel right at home alongside Sublime staples in the Badfish set. There’s no resisting these tunes; you’re going to move.
“With the kinetic energy that the band has amassed over years of performing, the ideas just keep flowing out of the blue and we are lucky enough to capture them,” says Begin. “Perspective is a great tool in music composition, and we’ve got plenty of that by now. When it feels right, it feels right…and these songs sure feel right.”
Harnessing this new creative energy, Badfish is stoked to gear up for their 2026 Blizzy Tour, with special guests Beach Fly. The tour will take the boys around the country where they’ll surely keep the vibes high for some familiar faces and many new ones as well.
EVENT PREVIEWS
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FEATURED EVENTS
