Half Past Two

Having formed in 2006 and gigged with the likes of Reel Big Fish, The Aquabats, Less Than Jake, The Skatalites, RX Bandits, The Selecter, The English Beat, Mustard Plug, The Toasters, and Pato Banton, Half Past Two are veterans of the ever-thriving Orange County ska scene, but their forward-thinking approach also aligns them with with ska's bold new generation. Their recent single "Shine" was a highlight of Asian Man Records, Bad Time Records, and Ska Punk Daily's 2020 compilation 'Ska Against Racism' -- a now-definitive document of the fast-growing New Tone ska movement -- and it doubles as the lead single of Half Past Two's upcoming self-titled album, due in October via Pay Attention Records, the new label from Ska Punk Daily and the venerable Jump Up Records. "I penned ['Shine'] at the time my family found out that our daughter has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a neuromuscular disease," said singer Tara Hahn. "I didn’t write the words to share, but my bandmates really encouraged me to evolve the song." It's a powerful, vulnerable, and uplifting song, and a centerpiece of 'Half Past Two,' which has become one of the most anticipated albums of ska's current resurgence.