Like any good youth of the ’80s, I’ve spent a lot of time zoned out in front of the boob tube, gray Nintendo hooked up and humming, rapidly pressing memorized button patterns like A A A up down up B B down up. I’ve probably spent even more time blowing on malfunctioning Nintendo game cartridges. Unless you were home-schooled and grew up on granola, or weren’t lucky enough to be a relatively well off, middle class white kid, the experiences are something like a common thread for my generation. 



This being said, most of us also have Nintendo game music subconsciously lodged in the recesses of our brains, just waiting to be tapped into. There’s just no way spending an entire summer playing Ninja Gaiden and drinking Kool Aid doesn’t have that sort of effect.



For this reason, the Skull Kid — who will play Bob’s Java Jive Friday, Aug 8 — just might be the most brilliant band ever. Probably not, of course — but they might be close. A band dedicated to flawless renditions of classic video game themes, the Skull Kid are like a grin-inspiring blast from your childhood — only this time around you can sip a beer inside the Java Jive and enjoy it. Myspace.com/nintendocovers gives you a sampling of their work, showing the band’s ability to lay down everything from the Super Mario 3 theme to music from Dragon Warrior.



According to gaming.wikia.com, Skull Kid “are a race of people/monsters from the Legend of Zelda series. They first appeared in Ocarina of Time, but the Skull Kid commonly referred to as the Skull Kid is most remembered for his role as the main villain in Majora’s Mask.”



That’s only part of the story.



Skull Kid are also a creative, if not slightly nerdy, highlight of this weekend. If you’re a child of the ’80s, the Skull Kid just might strike a chord. If nothing else, they’re worth a shot.



[Bob’s Java Jive, Skull Kid, Moon Runners, The Sadmen, and Sammy Swell, Friday, Aug. 8, 8 p.m., 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]