Courtesy

The house music at the White Rabbit will stop suddenly, and before the lights even begin to dim, two guys in the crowd will begin to chant, “Who do voodoo we do!”

The entire audience — sweaty from circle pits, skanking and anticipation — will respond, “F**k you!”

It’s a tradition when it comes to a Voodoo Glow Skulls show.

The next chance to take part in that chant is Saturday, May 10, at the White Rabbit.

“It started with a small group of friends, and then it moved to our shows,” said Eddie Casillas, guitarist. “It’s actually a sample on our first album. It just kind of came out of nowhere.”

That chant eventually made its way to South Texas, where the punk band from Riverside, Calif., draws large and diverse crowds.

And it’s no wonder. The band’s blend of genres makes it hard to compare to any other band. Its first album, “Who Is This Is?” was released in 1994. Since then, it’s had seven more albums.

Its aptly titled newest album, “Southern California Street Music,” has stayed true to the band’s original style.

The Voodoo Glow Skulls have been given many labels: punk, ska, metal, rocksteady, trash, ska-core. This could be a reason for its success among such a wide variety of listeners. The guttural, thug-like vocals; hardcore punk guitar riffs; and almost circus-style horn section blend all of their influences.

“We don’t really have to be called one certain thing,” Casillas said.

Their influences aren’t only apparent in their music, but onstage.

The luchador mask that the singer storms out in and the tribal voodoo stick are other long-held traditions that Voodoo Glow Skulls fans have come to expect.

“I think that kind of started in the mid-’90s,” Casillas said. “We had a record that was kind of based on that theme. It seems to go hand in hand with the Mexican-American imagery.”

Their traditions have spread from their hometown as far as Europe. The current tour will end with shows in Tijuana, Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico.

There will be no stop in Austin on this tour — for no real reason, Eddie explained.

“It just seems like the scene for us is a lot stronger in San Antonio and Corpus,” he said.

Jonathan Munson | 210SA contributor