Review by Kelly Besaw
Photos by Chris Besaw
Jakobs Castle made a stop at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY Friday September 20. The band is on tour in support of their debut album Enter The Castle.
Jakob Nowell, son of Sublime’s legendary frontman Bradley Nowell, creates a modern interpretation of punk with his band Jakobs Castle. Nowell was previously a founding member of the band LAW and was their vocalist until 2021.He formed Jakobs Castle in 2021 and the band released their debut album Enter The Castle in April 2024. He is also currently the lead singer of Sublime taking over for Rome Ramirez who left the band this year.
While Jakobs Castle certainly shares some similarities with Sublime, it has a much more gritty, modernized sound. The first single released from the album “Time Traveler” has that mellow surf punk vibe that appeals to old school Sublime fans but also has an edge to it that appeals to new, younger fans. The addition of synth-pop produces some dance worthy tracks like “Motel Radio” and “Close Enough” that got the crowd up and bopping along to the beats. Fans loved “Lights Out” and sang along to the chorus of “Catch Me.”
Nowell also treated the attendees to a few Sublime covers including, “Bad Fish” and “April 29, 1992.” I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic for my younger days as I sang along to “Santeria” and of course “What I Got.” Jakob Nowell proved that he is the perfect choice for lead singer of Sublime but also that he can create his own sound and forge his own path in the music industry.
I look forward to seeing more of Jakob Nowell and Jakobs Castle. If you missed them on this stop, you have plenty of chances to catch them as their US Tour continues through the fall.
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