If you’re anything like me, you understand the difficulty of familiarizing yourself with the six bands that will be supporting the Mighty Mighty Bosstones during the 17th annual Hometown Throwdown when you find Google confusing and otherworldly, and prefer to live in the woods, hunt the food you eat, and exclusively wear loincloths. Luckily, we here at Bostonska.net have done some heavy lifting, and have provided basic primers on each band, divided by night, that you can read while you skin and eat the animal you have sacrificed to the pagan god of your choice.

Night 1: Fishbone, Big D and The Kids Table

It is clear the Bosstones wanted to set these three shows off with a bang, as night one of the Throwdown is an onslaught of ska heavyweights. Playing together and touring consistently since 1979, Fishbone have steadily carved out a name for themselves as one of the major names in ska. Known for their experimentation, the band developed a heavier sound than that of their contemporaries, incorporating metal and hard funk into their already unique mix of ska and punk. This year, Fishbone played a high profile gig at the Coachella music festival in Chicago, and last played Boston in September at The Sinclair.

In preparation for their set, check out Fishbone’s newest release, 2014’s Intrinsically Intertwined EP in full via the band’s Soundcloud. If you really enjoy it, the EP is available for purchase (CD format only :((() on the band’s website. Also, check out this video of Fishbone performing in the early 90’s for a glimpse at the energetic live atmosphere this band is known for.

Opening up the night will be Big D and the Kids Table, whom you certainly know if you’re a regular on this website. Over a 20 year span, the band has operated within a number of genres and styles, from Shot By Lammi‘s energetic ska-punk to the laid-back sounds of Fluent in Stroll. For this show, Big D will be semi-fresh off their tour of Canada with Less Than Jake and The Interrupters (who will be playing on night two!) and their annual Halloween show(s) at the end of this month at Brighton Music Hall. That, combined with the fact that this year marked the 15th anniversary of their seminal album Good Luck, means that Big D are probably in the mindset of finishing off this landmark year as strong as possible.

For an example of their recent sound, check out this free sampler given out in support of their Canadian tour with Less Than Jake and The Interrupters. The two Big D tracks are from both halves of their 2013 double album Stomp/Stroll (“Stepping Out” and “Young Suckers”, respectively). Then check out our interview with members of the band on the night of their Good Luck show in May. Conveniently, the band has posted the entire set from that show on Youtube, which you can check out below:

Night 2: The Interrupters, The Warning Shots

Conversely, night two of the Throwdown seems to be a roster of up-and-coming bands. The Interrupters are a Los Angeles ska band who specialize in the two-tone style. The band consists of brothers Justin, Kevin and Jesse Bivona and is fronted by singer-songwriter Aimee Allen, who has previously worked with Jimmy Cliff and Tim Armstrong of Rancid. The Tim Armstrong connection is perhaps the most important, as it was Armstrong who essentially “found” The Interrupters, signing them to his own Hellcat records and appearing on the lead single “Family” (which you can hear here) off the band’s recently released debut album. In addition, the Interrupters supported Rancid on tour for a good chunk of last year, and the band often plays as Armstrong’s backing outfit as Tim Timebomb and Friends.

The Interrupters released their self-titled debut album on Hellcat records in August, and are currently on tour with Less than Jake and fellow Throwdown band Big D and the Kids Table. Download the free tour sampler provided by Soundsupply for a few tracks to get acquainted with, and check out the video for “A Friend Like Me” below.

Rounding out night two are The Warning Shots, a Boston punk band featuring former members of The Ducky Boys and The Morgan Knockers. Given the make-up of this band, aggressive punk is to be expected, but the real charm is the band’s knack for melody. You can catch a preview of The Warning Shots at Big D and the Kids Table’s annual Halloween shows next weekend, where the band will be playing a regular set the first night and covering tracks from Green Day’s seminal album Dookie on the second. The band’s debut EP Six To Midnight was released late last year, and is available to preview and purchase via State Line Records’ Bandcamp page. Check out the video for “No Holidays” below:

Night 3: Andrew W.K., Lost City Angels

On the third night of Throwdown, the Bosstones gave to us what will undoubtedly be a ceaseless party. Rumored at the first announcement of the dates of the shows, it wasn’t long until human embodiment of partying Andrew W.K. was confirmed to being an opener for the December 28th Throwdown show. Anyone who has seen Andrew in the past can tell you that the loose, energetic, and fan-pleasing set he will deliver will make this the night not to miss. Read up on his excellent foray into being an advice columnist or his recent Reddit AMA for a primer on the positive energy he emits during his live shows, and check out the video below for an example of the tone of his live set, and until then dream sweetly of pizza guitars. Take your glasses off for this one, kids.

Opening the show that night will be Lost City Angels, the Boston based punk band featuring Ron Ragona of Spring Heeled Jack and Nick Bacon of The Pilfers and Nick and the Adversaries. Despite being composed of ska heavyweights, the band’s sound is primarily hard-hitting punk (having had members of The Ducky Boys and The Bruisers doesn’t hurt, either). During their most active years (2001-2007), the band’s live show had attracted enough attention to land them on tours with bands like Social Distortion, Flogging Molly, and the Bosstones, as well as them landing a record deal with Nitro Records. This show will be of notable importance, as it will be their first major show since their reunion show at the Middle East in early 2009, as well as the 10th anniversary of their critically applauded album Broken World. Listen to the title track to Broken World:

All Nights: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Obscure Vaporwave artist from deep in the Himalayan mountains. Every member is a trained MMA fighter. Check out a video of them playing “They Will Need Music” on Jimmy Kimmel Live back in August:

Tickets to all three shows can be purchased via Livenation.

As always, check the calendar for upcoming shows in the area.