I’ve seen SKATERS twice now, once in Seattle and most recently in Portland at Mississippi Studios. And after both of those shows, lead singer MIC (Michael Ian Cummings) has told me the exact same thing.

“So, what did you think of the show?”

And just as before, he answers with a half-smile and says, “It was weird.”

Well, he was kind of right. It was weird. Mississippi Studios was less than one third of the way full, and me – a blonde chick in 4-inch heels – was dancing harder than anyone else there. Why is it that still, even after Warner Bros. got their hands on them and they’ve recorded in the legendary Electric Lady Studios, do they struggle to bring out that West Coast punk love? It exists, I’ve seen it. But not here.

This isn’t to discredit the talent of SKATERS. They are as musically gifted as any band I’ve seen live. Since the release of their LP Manhattan, Michael’s voice has become more demanding and refined. Drummer Noah Rubin’s tenacity is icon-worthy. And bassist Dan Burke is solid tight.

Manhattan’s analogue is about life in New York through the lens of millennial generation 20-somethings. There’s a reason why people call us the worst, most entitled, most spoiled generation. (Hey, I’m one of them so….) Generation Y has been stereotyped into being completely self-serving, and songs like “To Be Young in NYC” don’t help with those sentiments.

On Friday night, March 21, SKATERS opened with “Fun and Games” followed by “Symptomatic” and “Dead Bolt” – all of which have the rawness that early fans love. You’ll also notice a new face on stage – Miles, a talented guitarist who hails from Florida of all places.

The Jamaican reggae elements on songs like “Band Breaker” shows the guys have done their homework. When SKATERS rebels in different directions, they produce a good racket reminiscent of their early garage-punk forerunners.

As my friend that night said, “It’s the Strokes 10 years ago.” While they don’t have a “classic” album on their hands, SKATERS makes you believe in rock ‘n’ roll again.