JV Allstars’ Reunion Show at Knickerbockers | Video Feature

video and words by Cam Penner

Immediately after the opening riff for "Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads," fans of The JV Allstars started to sing along. Not a bad set of memories considering the 1 1/2 years since the Lincoln band's last show, which commemorated the release of Hold On To This.

JV Allstars got back together on short notice to play for Knickerbockers 20th Anniversary show last Friday. In lieu of their bass player Colby Sanchez, who lives in Chicago, Nate Olson from Straight Outta Junior High filled in while the rest of the band reformed for one night: Mikey Elfers on guitar/lead vocals, Nick Tarlowski on guitar/vocals and Matty Sanders on drums.

Although this was the first time The JV Allstars have played together since December 2011, their energy rivaled that of their tour kick-off shows in the mid 2000s. The JV Allstars played songs off of albums like Girls Forget Your Boys Forget Your GirlsTake Me Back To Spectre and Hold On To This.

Toward the end of the performance, the band switched instruments with Elfers on drums, Sanders on bass and Olson on guitar, making a new band out of an old band just reborn to fade away again, at least for awhile. See the show with a bit of interview from Elfers and Tarlowski here:

JV Allstars' Reunion Show at Knickerbockers | Video Feature from Hear Nebraska on Vimeo.

Cam Penner is a Hear Nebraska intern. He is still upset that he missed JVA opening for New Found Glory back in 2010. Reach him at camp@hearnebraska.org.