APE

Imagine the grooviest tropical vacation in your mind, complete with wailing bongos, Hawaiian steel, ukuleles, tribal drums, surfy guitars, the occasional vocal and foreboding Tiki's—that's the sound of APE. They are a six-piece Exotica Rock band from San Francisco. APE combines the sounds that travelers associate with the places they long to be: Hawaii, Tahiti, Mexico, The Caribbean. 

APE formed amidst the rocky shores and crashing waves of San Francisco's windward side in 1998. Eric Rindal had already successfully circumnavigated the world of instrumental surf music with his band The Swami's, but now he was restless. Like Thor Heyerdahl in Kon-Tiki, he set out upon a journey across the musical ocean, in search of adventure. For crew he signed on tiki carver Crazy Al, shameless pineapple fondler Mitch Tobias, fellow ex-Swami (and now leader of the Badass Chickenbones) Lane, exotic drummer Kevin Woodhouse, and Hawaiian steel & uke nut Frank Novicki (of the Waikiki Steel Works). Together they created the unique sound and look of APE. For the past five years, APE has been providing audiences with one of the most unique entertainment experiences in the world.