Badfish is laying into the Soapbox downtown on Nov. 14. The lyrics of Bradley Nowell will line the walls of the venue, while the bass lines of Sublime pump through the floor. A nationally successful tribute band, Badfish members have made a name for themselves on the music circuit and are returning to Wilmington for the fourth time.

“The shows have been just packed, a lot,” said the band’s drummer, Scott Begin, in a phone interview concerning the ongoing tour. Members of the band met while attending the University of Rhode Island, and word quickly spread beyond hometown lines. After graduation, Dave Ladin (guitars, lead vocals), Joel Hanks (bass), Pat Downes (sax, keys) and Begin joined forces and focused their energy on the band.

“We established ourselves outside of Rhode Island,” said Begin. “We hit new places.”

Since its conception in 2001, Badfish has become a recognized band nationwide, something Begin attributes to the enduring nature of Sublime’s sound. “Not many bands from the mid ’90s with a few radio hits can still be as popular,” he said.

A popular band that came to an unfortunate end in 1996, Sublime was a new breed of ska, punk, and reggae. During an era when many American bands were either crying or screeching into their mics, Sublime came in with a SoCal breeze filled with riffs and lyrics heavy enough to drown any listener into submission. The tragic death of Brad Nowell in 1996 paused their legacy.

But where Sublime left off, Badfish picked up.

“We’re not trying to be Sublime,” said Begin. “Our focus is more on just the music.”

He mentioned that although Badfish plays as much like Sublime as they can, it’s because it’s what people want to hear. “We’re keeping it true,” he said.

Aaron Modlin, a local sax and guitar musician, spoke to the concept of collaborative creation. Modlin, who has a background in jazz, said “the basis is playing smattering of other musicians. It’s a language you work in.”

Badfish happens to speak the language of Sublime.

On any given night, Badfish might play a setlist including songs especially from the ’95 self-titled album, “Sublime,” as well as the classic ’92 release, “40 Oz. to Freedom.” Sublime’s music “touches people in some way,” said Begin.

Having made an impact on the scene- notably with the release of “Badfish Live in ’05”- the boys of Badfish are working on writing and recording their own music.

“We hope to have something out in late January [2007],” said Begin.

No doubt the members of Badfish have earned their reputation as established musicians. Check out the band at The Soapbox, 255 N. Front St. Advance tickets are $12 or $15 the day of show. Doors open at 9 p.m. on Nov. 14.