Nearly 30 Years Later, Save Ferris Still Means Everything

Southern California ska-punk legends Save Ferris made their second visit in a little over a year to the Florida Panhandle, performing at The Handlebar in Pensacola on August 23. The band has been on the road since July performing their 1997 classic album It Means Everything in its entirety.

Every great band has its defining album. For Green Day, it was Dookie. For My Chemical Romance, it was The Black Parade. There is no doubt that 1997’s It Means Everything is the quintessential Save Ferris album. Nearly three decades after its release, the record remains a snapshot of the third-wave ska explosion of the ’90s, packed with infectious horn lines, punk energy and hooks that still sound tailor-made for a crowded club.

The Handlebar is a small venue with a capacity of around 150 people, and with no barrier separating the crowd from the stage, the show had the kind of intimate atmosphere that perfectly suits Save Ferris. There was nowhere for the band’s energy to go except straight into the audience.

Frontwoman and vocalist Monique Powell exuded energy from the opening notes of “The World Is New.” With trombone and trumpet blasting and the rhythm section driving underneath them, the room came alive almost immediately. There’s nothing quite like ska to get the heart pumping and the feet moving, and it didn’t take long before the floor at The Handlebar was bouncing.

Perhaps most impressive was the diversity of the crowd. Teenagers packed in alongside fans in their 40s, 50s and 60s, some of whom undoubtedly discovered Save Ferris when It Means Everything was new. Nearly 30 years separated some of the people in the room, but once the horns kicked in, none of that seemed to matter.

The highlight of the night came just four songs into the set when the band launched into their cover of the Dexys Midnight Runners classic “Come On Eileen.” It was obvious almost immediately that this was the song many in the room had been waiting for. Hands went into the air and began waving from side to side, smiles appeared across faces, and voices throughout the venue joined Powell for the familiar chorus.

But It Means Everything is much more than one famous cover. Hearing the album performed from beginning to end served as a reminder of just how much personality Save Ferris packed into the record. Songs like “The World Is New,” “Nobody But Me” and “Superspy” still carry the same combination of horns, melody and frantic ska-punk energy that helped make the album such an enduring part of the third-wave ska era.

At the center of it all was Powell. Nearly three decades removed from the album’s release, she commanded the tiny Handlebar stage like it was a room several times its size, constantly engaging the crowd and feeding off the energy coming back at her. In a venue this intimate, there was little distinction between performer and audience. Everyone was part of the show.

That’s ultimately what made this night special. This wasn’t simply a band revisiting an album from its past. It was a room full of people, some who grew up with It Means Everything and others who weren’t even born when it was released, celebrating music that still has the ability to make people dance, sing and forget about everything else for a while.

Almost 30 years later, It Means Everything still means something.

Save Ferris will continue their tour through September 19, with an additional appearance at Vans Warped Tour in Orlando on November 14 and 15. See the dates below, and if you make it out to a show, be sure to support the band by grabbing an LP or a shirt from Megan at the merch table.

Date	City	Venue	Tickets
Aug 27, 2026	Houston, TX	Warehouse Live Midtown	Tickets
Aug 28, 2026	Dallas, TX	AM/FM Dallas	Tickets
Aug 29, 2026	Austin, TX	Come and Take It Live	Tickets / Event Info
Aug 30, 2026	El Paso, TX	Lowbrow Palace	Tickets
Aug 31, 2026	Phoenix, AZ	The Rebel Lounge	Tickets / Event Info
Sep 12–13, 2026	Mexico City, Mexico	Vans Warped Tour Mexico City	Tickets / Event Info
Sep 19, 2026	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	The Arrow Room	Tickets
Nov 14–15, 2026	Orlando, FL	Vans Warped Tour Orlando	Tickets / Event Info
Nov 21, 2026 — 6:30 PM	Honolulu, HI	Blue Note Hawaii	Tickets
Nov 21, 2026 — 9:00 PM	Honolulu, HI	Blue Note Hawaii	Tickets