Review: Punk band Five Eight’s ‘Take Me to the Skate Park’

Review: Five Eight’s single/video “Take Me to the Skate Park” – Release date February 28, 2025

Formed in the late-1980s, punk band Five Eight released a video for their single ‘Take Me to the Skate Park.” The single is from their new album Help A Sinner.

The band consists of Mike Mantione (vocals/guitar), Dan Horowitz (bass/vocals), Patrick Ferguson aka Tigger (drums), and Sean Dunn (guitar). Hailing from Athens, Georgia, like REM and B-52s, Five-Eight was entrenched in the punk scene in the punk scene in the 1990s. Compared to Husker Du meets Buzzcocks, the band is also celebrating the release of a documentary entitled, WEIRDO: THE STORY OF FIVE EIGHT.

Rock At Night says: Although the band appears to be in their 40s or 50s, “Take Me to the Skate Park” taps into the psyche of a teen. The protagonist in the lyrics wants to escape from his abusive father and go to the skate park. The lyrics say, “Since Mom left /I can’t stand it /You’re always loaded/Like an alcoholic bandit.” For a melodic pop-punk song, these lyrics are pretty heavy. The video is fast-paced as you see the band performing in a skate park and cuts to the antics of a kid with her out-of-control father. Five Eight’s live shows are legendary, so we hope to see them live one day.

See the band at SXSW on March 15th!