Half Past Two brought its own brand of new tone ska to the Rosetta Room in Mesa, Arizona on October 18th, 2025.
It was a family affair, as Half Past Two was joined by Bad Times Records label mates Hell Beach and Omnigone, who added a mix of pop punk, hardcore, and ska to the bill.
Manchester, New Hampshire’s Hell Beach took the stage around 7 p.m. as fans hurried back from the merch tables.
Frontman Jordan Hill led the charge as the band tore through a whirlwind set that included hits “222”, “MTVeeling”, and the unreleased “Double Agent.”
Hell Beach invited Half Past Two’s Tara Hahn and Omnigone’s Adam Davis on stage for a cover of “Do The Dog” by The Specials to close out the set.
After some minor adjustments to the drum kit and a quick sound check, Davis and his band Omnigone took the stage.
Hailing from California’s East Bay region, Omnigone added a heavier, more aggressive sound to the lineup. The band wasted little time, exploding into the set as Adam Davis grabbed the microphone as guitarist Frank Piegaro picked aggressively at his Fender Stratocaster.
Backed by Brent Friedman’s hard-hitting drumming with Barry Krippene playing the low end, Omnigone delivered a 30-minute set that included “Violence”, “Modern Medicine”, and “Regress.”
Davis stalked the stage, frequently offering the microphone so fans could sing along. Fans couldn’t help but move as Omnigone pushed toward a crescendo.
A pre-recorded song introduction started to play, but was abruptly cut off, much to the disappointment of the crowd. Omnigone began to clear the stage for the evening’s headliner.
Vocalist Tara Hahn’s smile lit up the room as Half Past Two took the stage. After welcoming the crowd, Hahn kicked off the show with “Scratched CD”, a song about predictability and also a scratched CD.
Propelled by Eric Whitt’s bouncy bass lines and the dual-trombone attack of Luis Alonso and Patrick Holder, the high-energy set got the crowd skanking.
Highlights from the set included a cover of “Lookers” by The Menzingers, as well as original songs “Dominoes” and “Heather.”
Midway through the set, Adam Davis returned and combined with Hahn to form a “Ska Megazord.” For the uninitiated, this entailed Hahn claiming onto Davis’ shoulders and performing a song as the two moved around the venue.
Half Past Two closed out the show with “Shine”, from the 2024 album “Talk Is Killing Me.” With its bright horns and emotive chorus, it left fans smiling as the set came to an end.
The band skipped the pretend stage exit and went straight into a one-song encore, covering “Capsule” by The Suicide Machines. A circle pit opened up, led by a smiling Adam Davis, as fans ricocheted off one another.
The show provided an affordable evening of quality music for all ages. If you’re a fan of pop punk, hardcore, or ska, I highly recommend checking these bands out.
Hell Beach and Omnigone continue on through the Southwest, with stops in Dallas, Austin, and New Orleans before hitting Fest 23 in Gainesville, Florida on October 25th. Half Past Two will join Fest 23 on October 26th.
