The night of March 6, 2009, Less Than Jake played at the Harvest of Hope Festival, closing for the first night of the first year of this wonderful three-day-long camping festival. The crowd went wild as the band made it onto the stage and brandished their instruments. With the brass ready, drums beating rhythmically and the strings ringing out loud, the band begins.

From the photo pit all you can see are heads bouncing up and down, and the front row gives that eye-popping, squeezed look. Seconds after the first note resonates, the dust has already started to rise from the pit into the air, where young and old punks alike skank to Less Than Jake's unique brand of ska.

These guys don't come to South Florida often, only because, as Roger ― the bassist and vocalist of Less Than Jake ― puts it, “They just don't book us down there. It's not our doing by any means. People just aren't into rock and what we play down there that much. They are more into the Spanish flavor that is happening [in South Florida].”

Having played places like Germany, Britain and Japan, Less Than Jake has no shortage of venues to play. But it is a shame that they don't come to South Florida more often. Roger agrees that the DJ has been partly responsible for killing the live music act in South Florida. Luckily, Less Than Jake decided to give the first show of this leg of their current tour to help out in a cause that benefits migrant farm workers.

The Harvest of Hope Foundation will give proceeds from the show to aid those who grow all those delicious vegetables we enjoy eating every day. With some of the most dangerous jobs in the country, these migrant farmers need all the help they can get. Harvest of Hope provides rent subsidies, daycare for migrant preschoolers (as well as books and scholarships), medical equipment for migrant health clinics, legal support services, emergency care and more.

So as the brass of Less Than Jake begins to swing the night into a trance, the crowd rejoices with glee as they kick dirt onto one another, and bounce from dusty body to dusty body, all in the name of charity.

These guys know what is up, and will use comedy to get to the point across quickly. Roger is an immigrant himself, hailing from Brazil. Chris, Less Than Jake’s guitarist and vocalist, tells the crowd that it was not long ago that Roger was a migrant worker ― until he cut off his mustache. They then inform the crowd of the concert's purpose, and thank them for supporting Harvest of Hope and Roger.

When asked what L.T.J. meant to him, Roger likes to describe it as a pie chart. “If my life was a giant pie chart, the big square at the top would read Less Than Jake. It would then stem from there onto smaller squares, which is the rest of my life. This name is also very appropriate for our band ... because if we were More Than Jake, then we wouldn't be who we are. We always have a little hint of bad luck on things that go on ... I dunno ... kinda like we ARE Less Than Jake ― we're not more or equal to. Sometimes things just miss fire, and you have to go with the flow.”

What do you think your fans feel about the band name's meaning? “I think our fans know what that is like, and can totally relate.” I wouldn't want to speak for other fans, but personally I agree.

This festival was my first L.T.J. experience. Hailing from South Florida myself, I would have to say I am partly ashamed of this fact. I also blame the lack of social interaction in a city trumped by massive distance between one place and the next. With their hooky riffs and masterfully blown brass, they grab you in and squeeze your senses into ritual known as “skanking.” This dance is as follows: a slight right kick with a twist, followed by a slight left kick with a twist, accompanied by both arms flailing as if one was running. All the while, your kind of hunched and adding your own little flavor to this wonderful ritual.

Then, Less Than Jake gets the crowd riled up and asks them to make a circle pit around the sound booth, 400 feet in front of the stage. Suddenly, the crowd migrates. Their bare feet ― some dressed with converse, some not ― stomp against the ground, making the dust rise. They all move at once, the horns blast and the running of the punks begins. Dodging and trying to save their drinks, some fans move to the far edge, while others stampede around the booth. Punk, chaotic and beautiful, the true essence of humanity. The faces of the people as they go around in circles, their expressions changing with each step and collision. The human animal finally has a chance to be itself. Male and female alike stampede, a glorious cloud rises from their feet. With each step, they claim back a small part of their humanity which has been lost to the traffic light.

This is the “mosh pit.” A place where boys become men, and girls become women. There is some sort of order to this chaos, though. Roger puts it best when he says, “Pick people up when they fall, don't lift your elbows up too high and don't intentionally go for the smaller kid.” Wise words.

As I finished the interview with Roger, I was glad I got a chance to interview him in particular. As an immigrant myself, this festival meant a lot to me, as I'm sure it did to Roger. The people who pick our fruits and vegetables are deserving of better pay, health care and education. After all, without them, we wouldn't really eat very well. Understanding chaos, as true punk rockers do, Less Than Jake lends subtle truths to the masses through their music. After all, the intention of a musician is to share their experience and make the passing on of such not just easier, but bearable.