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Author: Danny Knapp

  • The Goodwin Club Owns the Room at Ska Smackdown II

    The lead singer of The Goodwin Club in a costume with gray curly hair and sunglasses sings passionately into a microphone, wearing a leopard-print top. The guitarist with an orange wig stands blurred in the background on stage.

    OC Music News was in attendance for Ska Smackdown II on January 10th at the Garden Amp in Garden Grove, and reviewer Kevin Gomez had plenty to say about The Goodwin Club’s opening set.

    The band showed up dressed as a bunch of elderly women, with singer Tami Demaree joking, “We’re The Golden Girls!” ocmusicnews The crowd loved every second of it. Classics like “Everything” and “Sorry Not Sorry” had the whole crowd skanking and singing along to every word, while guitarist Charles Grey delivered a standout solo to close out “Little Girl.” ocmusicnews

    The set only got wilder from there. The band nailed a ska cover of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” then closed with “Turkey Tit,” which featured a brief nod to Op Ivy’s “Sound System” as trumpeter Chris Graue played his way through the pit and into the stands. ocmusicnews

    Read the full live report on OC Music News

  • The Goodwin Club Opens Ska Smackdown II in Style

    The ska band The Goodwin Club in costumes, including wigs and dresses, performs on an outdoor stage. The backdrop displays The Goodwin Club with a ghost illustration. The audience watches from behind a barrier.

    The Indy Review was on the ground at Ska Smackdown II on January 10th at the Garden Amp in Garden Grove, CA — and The Goodwin Club set the tone for the entire night.

    Reviewer b.liebman noted that the band took the stage dressed as The Golden Girls, blasting confetti poppers into the air theindyreview — and the energy never let up from there. The set included feel-good originals like “See All Color,” oldies like “Everything” and “Little Girl,” and a ska cover of Taylor Swift, closing with the singalong anthem “Join the Club” to get the audience’s vocal cords warmed up for the festive evening ahead. theindyreview

    The reviewer also noted that the O.C. has a knack for breeding great female-fronted ska-influenced bands — citing The Goodwin Club alongside No Doubt and others as part of that proud local tradition. theindyreview

    Read the full live report on The Indy Review

  • The Goodwin Club Returns — And They’re Bringing the Party

    The ska band The Goodwin Club in colorful costume dresses sings and plays instruments on stage, with a sign reading The Goodwin Club in the background, as an audience watches.

    The Goodwin Club turned heads at Ska Smackdown 2, held January 10th at the Garden Amp in Garden Grove, CA.

    Writing for Skanking News!, reviewer Jacob “Jack” Armas gave the recently reunited band some of the night’s highest praise, calling their set “the most fun of the night” and describing it as a performance that “screamed 3rd wave ska.” The Goodwin Club brought the full package: a six-piece horn section (three trumpets, two trombones, and one alto sax), confetti cannons firing on the opening song, and a setlist mixing originals with covers of The Aquabats! and Taylor Swift.

    Armas noted that the band — originally known for their teenage energy back in the early ’90s — arrived thirty years later having “not skipped a beat.”

    Read the full review on Skanking News!

  • 2025 Year in Review

    A Standout Year for a Professional Bassist on the Live Stage

    Danny Knapp, musician and bass guitarist

    In 2025, professional bassist and vocalist Danny Knapp delivered one of his most active and consistent years to date, reinforcing his reputation as a versatile, in-demand performer and session bassist across Southern California and beyond. With a schedule spanning tribute productions, corporate and private events, and original music projects, the year reflected both artistic range and professional reliability.

    Over 100 live performances in 2025 across tribute, corporate, and original projects marked a milestone year—one defined not just by volume, but by adaptability. From high-energy tribute shows and casino stages to polished corporate events and creative original collaborations, each performance required a different approach, musical mindset, and level of precision.

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  • Danny Knapp Joins the Sandberg Guitars Artist Family

    Artist Overview Sandberg Guitars, including Danny Knapp

    California musician and professional bass player Danny Knapp — known to fans as The Melonhead — has officially joined the Sandberg Guitars artist roster. This endorsement recognizes Knapp’s long-standing relationship with the brand and his reputation as one of Southern California’s most dedicated and versatile bassists.

    For years, Sandberg basses have been an essential part of Knapp’s tone and stage presence. His primary instrument, the Sandberg California VM5, has become a defining element of his sound both live and in the studio. “The first time I plugged in a Sandberg, it just clicked,” Knapp explains. “The tone, the feel, the response — it felt like the instrument already knew what I wanted to say.”

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  • Maiden United Rocks Garden Amp on Halloween Night

    Maiden United tribute band at Garden Amp on Halloween 2025

    Halloween night brought thunder, theatrics, and pure heavy metal energy as Maiden United, Southern California’s renowned Iron Maiden tribute band, delivered a powerhouse performance at Garden Amp in Garden Grove, CA.

    Fans packed the amphitheater for a night of galloping bass lines, dual-guitar harmonies, and classic Iron Maiden anthems performed with precision and passion. From the opening riffs of “Murders in the Rue Morgue” to the epic finale of “Hallowed Be Thy Name,” the crowd was on its feet, singing every word.

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  • Danny Knapp Joins the Official S.I.T. Strings Artist Roster

    Danny Knapp S I T Strings
    Danny Knapp S I T Strings

    Southern California–based bassist Danny “The Melonhead” Knapp has officially joined the S.I.T. Strings artist family, marking another milestone in his growing list of professional endorsements. Known for his energetic stage presence and versatile musicianship, Knapp has built a national reputation performing with top original and tribute acts, including We’re No Gentlemen, The Goodwin Club, VK Lynne, Maiden United, and L.A. Sound Machine.

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  • Danny Knapp Lends His Bass Groove to Bryn Ryan Van-Dyke’s “It’s OK (Special Edition)”

    Bryn Ryan VanDyke It s Ok Special Edition Official Music Video YouTube

    Southern California bassist Danny “The Melonhead” Knapp has added another exciting collaboration to his growing list of recording credits, contributing bass to the newly released “It’s OK (Special Edition)” by Bryn Ryan Van-Dyke. The track, which debuted on YouTube on August 29, 2025, showcases Knapp’s dynamic low-end presence and intuitive musicality that have made him a sought-after session player across genres.

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  • The Goodwin Club Featured on History of L.A. Ska Podcast

    The ska band The Goodwin Club in colorful animal onesies performs on stage with instruments. A large screen behind them shows a person in a cap and sunglasses pointing at the camera. The audience watches from below.

    The Goodwin Club sat down with the History of L.A. Ska podcast for Episode 105 of their One On One Sessions, with singer Tami Demaree, saxophonist Dean Medford, and guitarist Jesse Wilder sharing stories about the band’s history and reunion.

    Host Eric Kohler noted that despite only being together for a few years in the ’90s, the band built a dedicated following — largely thanks to their reputation for unique and high-energy live shows.

    Watch the full episode on YouTube

  • Maiden United Featured in Voyage LA Magazine

    c 1750101843874 personal 1750101843430 1750101843430 rich abronson maiden united backstage

    The Los Angeles-based Iron Maiden tribute band Maiden United was recently featured in Voyage LA Magazine. The spotlight came through an interview with vocalist Rich Abronson, who discussed the band’s origins, mission, and growth.Bass guitarist Danny Knapp, known in the band as ‘Steve Hairless’, was also mentioned as a key contributor to the group’s authenticity and thunderous sound.

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