Greg Lee performing with Hepcat at last year’s Punk Rock Bowling. photo by kim moenich

On March 17, 2024, the ska world lost one of its true icons, the great Greg Lee. Greg was one of the two singers for the seminal third wave ska band, Hepcat, who exploded onto the SoCal scene in 1993. Earlier this year, Greg suffered a spontaneous brain aneurysm, which lead to cardiac arrest, ending his young life at the age of 53. His death came as a massive shock to the worldwide ska community. Greg’s name was synonomous with the current ska scene, and he was everyone’s friend and mentor. I had just seen him perform at Punk Rock Bowling only ten months before his death, and he put on an amazing show, as he always did.

The iconic El Rey Theater was a fitting site for a tribute to an iconic man. photo by kim moenich

Hepcat members, Alex Desert and Greg Narvas, perform tributes to their lifelong friend, Greg Lee. photo by kim moenich

The southern California ska community quickly got together to rally around Greg’s children, and Mandie, Greg’s partner and soon-to-be-mother of his daughter, Amelia. A tribute show was organized to raise money for Greg’s family. The star-studded show was held October 20, 2024, at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. It was a who’s who of the ska scene, and featured performances by Let’s Go Bowling, The Cover-Ups, Ocean Eleven, Colin and Kelly, and The Dirty Reggae Band (comprised mostly of members of The Aggrolites and special guests). There were also performances by Mandie Bee, who was then joined by Persephone Laird, aka Queen P, and Tiffany Bailey. There were numerous special guests as well, such as the Bivona brothers of The Interrupters, and Matt Hensley of Flogging Molly. And, of course, members of Hepcat graced the stage throughout the evening. Nearly every song featured at least one, if not several, guest singers and musicians.

Let’s Go Bowling with a slew of extra horns! photo by kim moenich

Malik Moore dropping some knowledge. photo by kim moenich

Jesse Wagner and Greg Narvas, of Hepcat, keeping it light for the crowd. photo by kim moenich

Mandie Bee, accompanied by Tiffany Bailey, and Queen P (Persephone Laird) performed memorable renditions of “I Want to be your Lover” and “The Tide is High”, before being joined by Spanky Kingston for a cover of “Ghost Town”, that brought the crowd to a roar.

Mandie Bee, Greg’s partner, singing with Tiffany Bailey and Queen P. photo by kim moenich

Spanky Kingston performing at the Greg Lee Tribute Show. photo by kim moenich

Mandie Bee, Greg Lee’s partner, singing her heart out for an audience in awe. photo by kim moenich

The Cover-Ups, who officially broke up in 2000, but who reunited in 2012 for two shows, played an incredible set. They were a huge favorite of mine during college, but I never thought I’d get to see them live. They were absolutely flawless and I hope to get to see them again soon! Check out their music on their Bandcamp. https://thecover-ups.bandcamp.com/album/the-cover-ups

The Cover-Ups graced us with a rare performance in honor of their close friend. photo by kim moenich

One of the most poignant moments of the night for me personally, came when Matt Hensley of Flogging Molly came out onstage. Matt played his accordion for the song, “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”, with Jesse Wagner singing. When my father passed away, this was the song that gave me permission to cry about my loss. I’ve seen Flogging Molly over a hundred times, and they play this every show, and I cry. Hearing the song in this context broke my heart, and I stood there, sobbing at the rail, as did many others around me. I honestly couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute to a man who mean so much to so many.

Matt Hensley playing “If I Ever Leave This World Alive” as a tribute to Greg Lee. photo by kim moenich

The performers spent the evening mingling with the guests, and watching each other perform. I was able to chat with everyone from Karina Denike, formerly of the Dance Hall Crashers and NOFX, to Matt Hensley, to Alex Desert, Greg Lee’s singing partner in Hepcat and lifelong friend. This was not your typical tribute show, this event felt more like a family gathering to show each other love and support. The performers realized that this crowd was feeling the loss of a man who had brought so much to so many, just as strongly as they were.

Greg Narvas, Jesse Wagner, and Alex Desert show us how to have fun. photo by kim moenich

The one and only Karina Denike performing with the Dirty Reggae Band. photo by kim moenich

While we came together for a solemn reason, this night was anything but somber. The room was packed with rude girls and rude boys, all dancing and cheering loudly throughout the night. The event was emceed by the omnipresent godfather of ska, Junior Francis, who kept us all hyped up. Jesse Wagner, from The Aggrolites, who were the house band for the evening, sang tunes alongside Karina Denike, Bart Davenport (of The Loved Ones and The Kinetics), and many others. It was a night for the record books!

Junior Francis, the greatest ska Emcee of all time, kept our spirits up and our souls in line. photo by kim moenich

Bart Davenport, a close friend of Greg’s, showed us his love for the man. photo by kim moenich

In the end, we all came together to pay our respects for a one-of-a-kind person. As Junior Francis said, “Greg was a unifier. He was a humble giant and a genius.” That genius, and that unendingly kind smile, will always be missed, but the legacy of the great Greg Lee will live forever.

A Tribute to a Man Who Made our Lives Better, the Great Greg Lee

Who Invited This Guy?

Off With Their Heads Halloween Misfits Set, Norcos Y Horchata, Middle-Out.