The Blink 182 drama continues. Mark Hoppus has denied Tom DeLonge's claim of the two speaking following the release of Blink's new song, "Bored to Death."
"I haven't even spoken to Tom in a year and a half," he told Kevin Klein Live. "[Making music with DeLonge again] is so far down the road to even be a possibility."
He added that DeLonge's Facebook statement "came as a surprise," but that he will "never say never to anything."
If you missed DeLonge's statement, read it here.
Following the release of the latest single and tour announcement by Blink 182, former Blink 182 member Tom DeLonge released a statement on his personal Facebook in which he claimed to still be a member of the band.
Hi everybody-
I understand all the craziness out there in Internet-land, it is an odd time for fans of the Blink-182 legacy, I know- It's odd for me, too.
Well, I met with Mark yesterday, and Travis the week before.... I actually talk to Travis almost every day, now.
The answer is this:
We DO have a future together if we want it, but for now we are busy doing separate things. I am directing a movie this summer, releasing a couple more albums of music and digging deeper into my Sekret Machines Project with the US DOD.
I know people are comparing the Angels and Airwaves Chasing Shadows EP to the new Blink-182 music, and that is a failed task. We are different people after different things. For one, I think having a song-writer that came in on the Blink album (Feldy- 5 Seconds of Summer, Good Charlotte) was something they felt was necessary, and that in itself may be an indicator of some of our current artistic differences that are difficult to overcome. At the time, I was recording the song NEW WORLD (on the DEMOS album titled after my own name) and that was my personal opinion of where we could possibly take Blink for the next album. But we are at different places in our minds, careers and goals, I get it.
But that said, I obviously want them to make the music they wish. I have always been thankful for them in my life, but I am a forward thinking artist, and sometimes that leads me down a different path- That is why I have done other projects like: Box Car Racer, Angels and Airwaves- LOVE 1 & 2, AND The Dream Walker etc...
I look forward to my upcoming adventures, and a hell of a lot more...
....Maybe even a bit of Blink-182 if we can build back that "special something" that was once there.
In celebration of their first new album in four years, Blink 182 have announced a summer tour with A Day To Remember, The All-American Rejects, and All Time Low.
07/22 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena *
07/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint *
07/26 – El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center *
07/28 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Chesapeake Energy Arena *
07/29 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion *
07/30 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center *
07/31 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
08/02 – Atlanta, GA @ Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood *
08/03 – Greenville, SC @ Bon Secours Arena *
08/05 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre *
08/06 – Tampa, FL @ Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheatre *
08/08 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater *
08/09 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center *
08/10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center *
08/12 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion #
08/13 – Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach #
08/14 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center #
08/16 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater #
08/19 – Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center #
08/21 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre #
08/23 – Syracuse, NY @ Lakeview Amphitheatre #
08/24 – Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake Performing Arts Center #
08/25 – Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain #
08/27 – Hershey, PA @ Hershey Park Pavilion #
08/28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ First Niagara Pavilion #
08/30 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theater #
09/02 – Hartford, CT @ Xfinity Theater #
09/03 – Bangor, ME @ Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion #
09/04 – Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center #
09/08 – Minneapolis, MN @ Xcel Energy Center *
09/09 – Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater *
09/10 – Indianapolis, IN @ Klipsch Music Center *
09/11 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater *
09/13 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center *
09/15 – Boise, ID @ Taco Bell Arena *
09/16 – Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena *
09/17 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena *
09/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Abbotsford Centre *
09/20 – Portland, OR @ Sunlight Supply Amphitheater *
09/22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Usana Amphitheatre #
09/24 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Pavilion #
09/25 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater #
09/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater #
09/29 – Irvine, CA @ Meadows Amphitheater #
10/01 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum #
* = w/ A Day to Remember and The All-American Rejects
# = w/ A Day to Remember and All Time Low
Listen to their new single, "Bored to Death," below:
Written and submitted by Shelby Whitehouse.
This past weekend of April 15th and 16th, Maine pop punkers Friday Night Lites did a two-night stint with Rhode Island locals Trophy Wives. The first night kicked off in Derry, NH with the last show ending in Worcester, MA. I had the pleasure of road tripping around for the weekend with Friday Night Lites, and let me tell you; there’s never a dull moment with these guys. What is Friday Night Lites? This sunny, upbeat, positive band comes from Southern Maine. A group of busy guys, who have a collective mission to get their fans to "Lite 'N Up"! Lyrically they are catchy, and melodically they're tighter than most would expect to hear from a local group. So, needless to say spending the weekend with this 5 part group was as fun as busy as I could ever have needed.
Arriving in Derry, NH was pleasant, and after no time we were all together. The first two to greet me were guitarists Nate, and Matt (fondly and more preferably known as Stik). These two were followed closely behind by local band Crisis A.D’s Keanu, our merch guy for the weekend. These three lead me to the van where we found Vocalist Joey, as well as bassist Jesse relaxing before a long night of music. Last to arrive to the van to catch up was Friday Night Lites' newest member, their drummer Derek.
Having known the guys for a while, there was no need for an ice breaker as we reunited and started preparing for the night ahead. Merch was unloaded, equipment was brought in, and dance parties were had as I snapped away with the camera. Once everyone was settled inside, the crew disbanded a bit to support other bands, catch up with friends, greet fans, and freshen up before performing.
Finally, it was time for the guys to perform. I snapped on my 50mm 1.8 lens, and took my place side stage as FNL launched into their power packed set. People jammed, sang the words, and there was even some creative “hardcore dancing” happening in the crowd. Joey soared above the stage pulling out all the stops complete with ninja moves and punk rock jumps. Their set included crowd favorites, and singles such as “Bases Loaded” and “Face the World”, as well as “I’m a Sandra Bullock Kinda Guy”. Guitarist and Bassist, Nate and Jesse, we’re on their game with encouraging the crowd to yell the lyrics along with them. Guitarist “Stik” was focused and concise, bringing out that bright and sunny vibe everybody loves from the band’s sound. Also, you could never tell that this outing was only new drummer Derek’s third show with the group, as he seemingly never missed a beat and kept the crew on time throughout the set. Passion rose higher and higher in every members face’s as they finished off their set with their newest upcoming single “We’ve Got Something for Ya.” The room felt electric down to the last note. Exhausted, the guys left the stage to head back to their posts around the room. Their set had gone down without a hitch.
After finishing up watching anticipated Rhode Island Trophy Wives the band loaded up and headed out to the home of Crowdsurf Central’s Seth Dallaire in Haverhill, MA. Once in Haverhill, Mcdonald’s happened. Eight individual drive-thru orders later, we we’re pretty sure the people at McDonalds hated us. We scooted to Seth’s house, ate, talked the night over, and eventually sprawled out throughout the house to rest.
Waking up the next day, we woke with a plan to head into downtown Haverhill where Seth showed us some great spots for promotional work. My goal for the morning with the guys was just to get some solid photos that could be used for their media needs. I got way more than I bargained for. Instead I got five men in desperate need of coffee and food, one excessively sleepy merch guy, and I was super exhausted myself. We all lazied around getting ready. Joey, Derek, Seth, and Nate took their time getting ready by watching Star Wars to start their day (a group favorite, by far). By the time we hit the city, it was nearly noon. We stopped for breakfast as a family at a little café, and then embarked on one of the busiest days of shooting I’ve ever encountered. We hit 10+ different stops in the city to try to capture who these guys really are. We were under bridges, against walls, on the waterfront, hanging out on stoops, just walking around. I got every emotion in the spectrum on camera that day, and had the most fun doing it.
These guys all live in different places, so aside from weekly practices, there’s not a lot of time to hang out as a whole. So, they had a great time just being guys, being friends, and enjoying the sunny day all while we worked. I got all the shots I could’ve ever needed, and so many fun candids that really prove that Friday Night Lites is like family. If you’ve never met them, you’d probably think at least one is related to their other, these guys are like brothers. Each member brings an aspect to the group, and it’s part of who they are as Friday Night Lites on stage as well.
After shooting was done, it was time to get ready for NeonFest that night. Joey, Jesse, Nate, Stik, and Derek all were sure they had their proper gear, water, outfits and everything they’d need in the coming hours before we all sat to rest before departing Haverhill, MA. An hour nap, some donuts with Keanu, and a couple skateboard tricks later, the group was ready to hit the road to Worcester, MA. The drive was quick, and loading in for the night was even quicker. The show came and went as a blur, with all types of local talent taking the stage. This was a variety show of types for sure. Trophy Wives jumped, jammed, and threw down following a vivid performance from Lions Lions. Then, it was our turn.
Friday Night Lites took the stage to a pretty intimate crowd that evening. Though it wasn’t the biggest show to date, each member played with more vigor and intensity than I’ve ever seen in them before. Something about such a relaxed night lit a fire in these guys that clearly proves they’re out for big things. The whole set was really a big blur for everyone involved, getting fiercer and louder as it went on. Joey, Jesse, Nate, Stik, and Derek left the stage that night exhausted, and itching to play a show bigger than any one before it to leave this night behind.
Run down from a busy weekend, we made our way back to Haverhill where we said our goodbyes. We’d all be together again the following weekend for battle of the bands, with more shenanigans to come. This left me to crash in Haverhill for the evening, sifting through photos, and gearing up for all the big things to come. I don’t know what Friday Night Lites has in store for me next, but I do know that whatever it is I’m ready. These guys are doing HUGE things, and it’s a pleasure to be along for the ride.
Keep your eye out for Friday Night Lites in Farmington, ME at the Battle of the Bands 4/23/16, and for more photos to come VIA Crowdsurf Central & smwPHOTO.
Gin War is a four-piece punk band out of Long Beach Island, NJ and joined Man Overboard's East Coast swing of their "Farewell for Now" tour. We had the chance to talk with them before their show in Worcester last week.
How did the band form?
How does it feel to be on Man Overboard's farewell tour?
You're also playing a farewell show with Transit, what's the reaction to it been like?
You put out and EP last November, what's the reaction to it been like?
Are there plans for new music?
What's your writing process like?
What was it like recording your music video for "Trip?"
Any plan on coming back to Mass?
Favorite cartoon now and as a kid?
Favorite candy bar?
Favorite fast food while on tour?
You can listen to Gin War's EP by clicking here.
Yesterday it was reported that The Story So Far frontman Parker Cannon kicked a girl off stage (video below).
The venue, Toronto Mod Club has since released a statement:
"On behalf of the venue we are appalled by the actions of the singer and do not condone these actions by anyone," Mod Club general manager Jorge Dias said in a statement given to Billboard. "There was no report of injuries and the venue will not allow the band to play the venue again for their actions. I have never imagined and never seen anything like that at the venue in 14 years in operation. That was a very cowardly act.
By now you've all heard about what happened at The Story So Far's show in Toronto last night.
In the footage Parker Cannon and his band The Story So Far are mid-song Sunday night when the woman pulls herself up and begins taking the picture, apparently unaware of Cannon behind her.
It’s not the first time Cannon has kicked a photo-taking fan who scrambled on stage.
Watch the video below:
Huge news from The Boss. Bruce Springsteen has cancelled Sunday's show in Greensboro, NC because of the so called "Bathroom Law" that the state recently passed.
A number of companies have come out against the law but Springsteen is the first high profile musician to cancel a show in the state. And he did it only two days before the show was to take place.
In his words:
I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.
JUNE
5 House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV
7 Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO
8 Granada Theatre, Lawrence, KS
10 House of Blues, Chicago, IL
11 St. Andrews Hall, Detroit, MI
12 House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
14 Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
15 Irving Plaza, New York, NY
17 Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
18 The Norva, Norfolk, VA
19 Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
21 House of Blues, Houston, TX
22 House of Blues, Dallas, TX
24 Nile Theatre, Mesa, AZ
25 Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA
26 Mayan Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Maple Hill, an alternative/pop-punk band from Ithaca, NY released their debut album "Headspace" back in February and are now fighting for a spot on the Ernie Ball Stage during a stop on Vans Warped Tour.
Kristian (guitar/vox) and St. John (drums) have been playing together for nearly 10 years but have never done something as serious as this. While looking for guitarists for their last band they discovered Max and Joel and were unable to choose between the two. After trying to fit them both in, St. John tells us, the realized they had become an entirely different band. They decided to re-brand themselves and haven't looked back since.
The name Maple Hill comes from an area of Ithaca where Kristian lives. "We spent a lot of time bonding and chilling there, growing together, and we felt that those experiences really built us into the people and musicians we are today," says bassist Joel Beckwith.
Much like Boston, Ithaca is a giant college town with a vibrant culture that revolves heavily around music and art. "Alternative and punk music aren't a popular genre," the band told us. "There really isn't a local scene for bands like ours, though we're trying to help it make a comeback. Being in a college town like Ithaca is cool because you're surrounded by so many young people, mostly college students, who play a large role in social media and young culture," they continued. "It's also great to be able to play for students from both Ithaca College and Cornell University."
The band is currently trying to earn a spot on the Ernie Ball Stage at the Syracuse date of Vans Warped Tour. "It's been going well so far," drummer St. John told us. "We've been plugging the competition on all of our social media outlets, telling our family and friends about it, basically everything we can do to get the word out; at this point in the competition it's just about online activity on our page. That's always an interesting battle because it's based on internet popularity instead of music quality. We're looking forward to the stage of the competition where our music will be judged by the Warped contest panel consisting of Kevin Lyman and Chad Gilbert. We're probably going to be running some sort of giveaway this month or next to get more people sharing."
Maple Hill put out their debut album in February and have seen some great feedback. "We're currently working with a PR company that has connected us with some awesome music blogs/magazines to do features, interviews, and album reviews," said Joel. "We have also seen some internet responses from people all across the world! It's a great feeling to know that our music has reached that far."
Their writing process is "inconsistent but collaborative" according to St. John. "Most of the time one of us will come up with a riff or even an entire skeleton for a song before we take it up to my bedroom to start demoing out. Then I'll usually work the song some more, writing drum parts/grooves, adding or removing entire sections, and improving the overall structure. Once we have the basic format for the song, the rest of the band will start to write their parts and share other ideas. Sometimes we will all write parts for each other. We have very open writing process where everyone is free to work on whatever parts that need it.
The band did a week-long tour and played shows in several states across the northeast. They're planning for more touring this summer, as well as some exciting shows. "Like" them on Facebook to be the first to know when they announce a show.
Click here to help them win a spot at Warped Tour and click here to stream their album.
What would prompt a band to give their album away for free? That was the main question on our mind when we sat down with Two O'Clock Courage frontman James Davidson.
"Without getting into the band drama that everyone loves so much," he said, "We're giving it away for two reasons. Vaguely speaking, it became far too difficult to try and organize the release of this record on my own and manage the monetary side of it. Secondly, we finished the album almost two years ago and because of all this drama and the business side of it, the record sat in limbo and I hated it."
James joined TOCC after responding to a post on MySpace (yes, you read that right) stating that the band was in search of new singers. Growing up on plethora of bands like Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco and others who are all heading out on 10th anniversary tours, James saw himself as a music junkie. "I would scour the internet for bands no on had heard of," he told us, "I like to think I was an early passenger on most of those bands that are super successful now."
The album, Missalette, is set to drop on Friday and was funded entirely out of pocket by the band. "I hate crowdfunding," James told us, "I hate people asking for money on the internet. I work hard at making music and I make it on my own accord. I do it using my own money that I work for all day, and I work incredibly hard at the business of this band so this sort of felt like an investment more than an earning opportunity. Long story short, I just love the people that love this band and I couldn't stand asking them for money for something that I felt like they had already paid for with their support."
"All of us went to work and took the money out of our bank accounts and paid for it to get made," James continued. "We would work all day and then whoever had to record that day would drive two hours, waiting through rush hour traffic, and drive to the studio, track their parts, then hopefully make it home before 3AM so they could sleep before they had to work the next day. Funding this record out-of-pocket is a labor of love." The album was recorded at Apparition Sound in Thompson, CT with Chris Curran. I was mixed and mastered at Valencia Studios with Paul Leavitt.
The album comes out April 8th and the band plans on traveling up and down the West Coast and hope to make it back east for some shows in the future. Listen to "6:06 to Grand Central" and "Misericorde" below and be sure to pick up the album this Friday.
VISTA is a new and up coming band from the New Jersey/New York area. Inspired by acts like Paramore and Set it Off they have a very unique sound that is unmatched in the scene right now.
Stemming from frontwoman Hope Vista's solo career, alternative rock band VISTA launched in January of 2016 with the addition of Wolf (drums) and Brian (guitar/backing vox). Hope started posting videos to YouTube in back in 2006 before her channel got deleted, causing her to start over in 2007. "I was so terrible," she said, "I got harassed in school for posting YouTube videos and as they started to gain in popularity it just got worse." Her main goal, she said, was to get herself out to as large of an audience as possible. "It worked in a way," she laughed, "but the videos were still terrible. I look back and completely cringe!"
The idea of forming a band, rather than just being a solo act, came together a long time ago, the band told us. In October of 2015 Wolf, Hope's touring drummer at the time, had already been talking about the idea for a while when it finally became serious. It was nearly decided before Hope released her final solo EP, "Prevail." She was feeling stuck but didn't know which direction to go in and tells us that she had been doing the same thing for so long that it felt like there was no place for her as a solo power-pop-punk female artist. "I never wanted to be a frontwoman," she said, "But I realized that this would be the biggest challenge that I wanted injected back in my career." Facing that fear head on was exactly what she needed.
Hope and Wolf are the primary song writers for VISTA. They both have separate strengths which allow them to work together perfectly. Wolf excels at writing instrumental parts while Hope's strength lies in lyrics and melody. The band wants to show their fans what hard work can do. "It truly pays off," they told us, "and we're taking a huge risk by trying to define and create our own genre, but that's what is good about it! Taking those risks, diving in head first, and trying to not fear the unknown."
Their debut single "On the Brink," has been doing exceptionally well for an unannounced release and they are finishing tracking their upcoming EP, "Versus" this weekend (3/26-27). Their single is expected to be the lead track on the album. You can listen to a clip of their single below.
Photo by: Lauren Taylor
This year at Vans Warped Tour there will be a North and South stage for the heavier bands. Full list and dates are below:
Monster Energy North Stage:
Monster Energy South Stage
Warped Tour is set to hit Mansfield on July 13. Check out the FULL Warped Tour lineup below**
3OH!3, Falling in Reverse, Four Year Strong, Good Charlotte, Issues, Less Than Jake, Mayday Parade, Reel Big Fish, Set it Off, Sleeping With Sirens, State Champs, Sum 41, The Maine, The Story So Far, The Summer Set, Tonight Alive, We The Kings, Yellowcard, Atreyu, Bullet For My Valentine, Chelsea Grin, Coldrain, Crown the Empire, Cruel Hand, Every Time I Die, From Ashes to New, Gideon, Ice Nine Kills, In Hearts Wake, Motionless in White, Oceans Ate Alaska, The Color Morale, The Word Alive, Vanna, Veil of Maya, Volumes, WhiteChapel, Against the Current, Assuming We Survive, Ballyhoo!, Chunk! No Captain Chunk!, Emarosa, Ghost Town, I See Stars, Knuckle Puck, Masked Intruder, Roam, Secrets, Sykes, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Heirs, The Interrupters, Too Close To Touch, Waterparks, Young Guns, Avion Roe, Bad Seed Rising, Broadside, Cane Hill, Capsize, Dash Ten, Hail The Sun, Like Pacific, More to Monroe, Mother Feather, Old Wounds, Palaye Royale, Reckless Serenade, Safe to Say, Saywecanfly, Silent Planet, Wage War, With Confidence, The New Low
**Not all bands will appear on all dates.
Heroes Like Villians is a pop-punk band based in Columbus, Ohio. Consisting of David (vox), Josh (guitar), Dan (bass), and Ryan (drums) they just released an EP which you can pick up on bandcamp and are vying for a spot on the Cleveland stop of Warped Tour.
How was the band formed?
Who are some of your musical inspirations?
Have you done any tours/Are there plans for one?
Have you shared the stage with any national acts? If so, who?
What's the local scene like in Columbus?
Who are some of your favorite local acts?
You recently did an interview with 99.7 The Blitz on WRKZ - how did it go?
Does OSU (The Ohio State University) help or hurt your band?
What's the response to your EP been like?
What's your favorite food, and where in Columbus is the best place to get it?
You can keep in touch with all their shows and big announcements on their Facebook account and can see their day-to-day activity on their Twitter or Instagram (@HeroesLikeVillians). All of their music and merch is available for purchase on their bandcamp which is linked HERE.
This is All Now is a pop/rock band from Long Island, NY. Consisting of Okan Kazdal (vox), Louie Mapeli (guitar), and Mike Pittelli (drums), TIAN is ready to head out on the "Emo Is Back Tour" which is headlined by Best Kept Secret.
How did the band form?
How did you come up with the name?
How does it feel to be involved with this tour? And do you know which dates you will be playing on the tour?
Who are some of the bands that inspired you to start playing?
Have you been on tour before? If so, what was it like? What were some of the more memorable shows?
On Gilligan's Island, how did Ginger have so many different outfits available when they were only going on a three hour tour?
Your last LP was in 2014, you've since released two EP's - are there plans for another album?
What's your favorite venue to play?
My favorite venue to play locally has to be The Paramount in Huntington, NY. Such a great venue with a great vibe and extremely helpful stage crew. Nationally however my favorite venue is probably the many House of Blues venues around the country. Each one has a truly distinct vibe that puts musicians in great company. Very notorious venues.
What's on the door of your fridge?
The first set of dates for the "Emo is Back Tour" have been released and can be found in the "News" section of our page. With such an incredible lineup tickets are expected to go fast so grab yours now!
RVLS (Rivals) are an up and coming alternative/pop band from Los Angeles. Founded in 2014 and fronted by the eccentric Kalie Wolfe (vocals), RVLS released an EP, “Haunted/Haunted,” in May of 2015 and are currently in the studio working on their debut full-length. Along with Kalie, RVLS is made up of Justin Wells (Guitar), Sebastian Chamerlain (Bass), and Micket Woodle (Guitar). They will appear on the “Emo Is Back Tour” tour May 10-14 after playing a small stint beforehand.
How did RVLS form?
How does it feel to be involved with this tour?
Who are some of the bands that inspired you?
Have you shared the stage with any national acts? If so, who?
Do you know which dates you are playing? If so, which ones are you looking forward to most?
LA is a musician-heavy area, what do you do to make your band stick out?
What's the writing process like?
What's your favorite food to get in LA? Where's the best place to get it?
What's the best part of touring?
What are three things you always bring on tour?
Sudoku or crossword puzzles?
What's the difference between ketchup and fancy ketchup?
Are eyelashes considered facial hair?
RVLS just put out an acoustic version of "The Open Road" which you can watch below. Their debut full-length is expected to drop sometime later in 2016. Be sure to catch them on the "Emo is Back Tour" tour and say hey!
Beneath the Spin Light is a pop punk band from Camano Island, Washington, just north of Seattle. Consisting of Sullivan Burkart (Vocals), Kalevi Burkhart (Drums), Kyle Spooner (Guitar), and Gus Winecoff (Bass), BTSL has been announced as a special guest on the upcoming “Emo Is Back Tour” featuring Best Kept Secret, An Honest Year, Take a Break, and This Is All Now, along with other special guests. They will be on tour May 9 – 15.
How did the band form?
How does it feel to be involved with this tour?
Who are some of the bands that inspired you as a kid?
When did you begin playing?
What national acts have you shared the stage with?
How was your summer tour? Which show was most memorable?
What was it like playing on the Ernie Ball Stage at Warped?
What's your favorite pizza topping?
Behind Deadlines is a Ska-Punk band from Philly which consists of Zach (Vox/Guitar), Gee (Drums), Mike (Bass), Skylar (Trombone), and Chris (Sax). The band is working on an EP and will head out on tour in Brazil this March.
The new EP is coming out, where is the inspiration coming from? What’s the response to it been like?
You’re playing in Canada and Brazil - have you toured Brazil before? Are there any plans for a U.S. Tour?
You had mentioned you will be filming a music video while on tour in Brazil. Will it be throughout the tour or during a specific show?
How did you get started in ska?
Gee: I was born and raised in a tropical country where the traditional Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae were huge. So I grew up listening to it a lot. I remember hearing Operation Ivy for the first time and thinking how awesome it was, a band that managed to put together both of my favorite styles (Punk Rock & Ska). Then i heard Slapstick, a band formed by Dan Adriano (Alkaline Trio) and Brendan Kelly (The Lawrence Arms) which had a horn section and that was officially when my obsession and love for Ska Punk started.
Skylar: First ska or punk show I ever went to was Less Than Jake, New Found Glory, and Anti-Flag in DC. It was and still is one of the coolest experiences of my life. My first band, Oskama Bin Laden and the Jihad Jammers, formed a couple of months later, and basically got me addicted to shows.
Bruno: I grew up listening to punk music and then eventually found my way to all of the popular ska punk bands from the 90s. The horns added something special to the three or four piece punk sound I knew. I never imagined I'd join a ska band, mostly because I didn't know any horn players. That all changed when a drummer named Paul asked me to join a band with some of his friends. That was how I met Skylar. After a few bands that never really gained traction, Behind Deadlines was formed.
Zach: Somewhere in the late 90s / early 2000s, I was dragged out of the suburbs of South Jersey and into an old Philadelphia landmark burlesque theatre converted into a live music venue called The Trocadero where my friends and I stumbled upon a bunch of happy people of All Ages jumpin' and dancin' around underneath a giant Floating Eye of Death while regular guys just as nerdy as myself shared the stage with uniformed superheroes to shuffle between 'on the spot' jokes and banter amidst an amalgamation of super fast pop punk intertwined with bouncy clean upbeat "ska"(they were calling it) complete with catchy choruses and fully orchestrated horn sections who were having just as much fun blasting brass on stage as I was having crowdsurfing and kicking my legs around faster than I even knew possible. The message was clear, "Fun! Have It." And try to have a sense of humor while you're at it. Turns out that first show still remains my favorite show of all time, The Hippos debuting Heads are Gonna Roll touring with The Aquabats releasing The Floating Eye of Death. From that point there were years of idolizing the South Jersey local ska punk band The Berserk Postal Clerks, upperclassmen who I passed in the hallways, until they graduated and some friends and I decided to try our own hand at this 'Ska Punk'.
Chris: I walked downstairs and my roommate was playing with his band. I told them I play sax, but that I sucked. They were warned.
What bands do you listen to while driving around?
Do you have any favorite local artists from Philly?
Gee: Even though the music scene around Philly is not the best one in terms of local support (which is probably the reason why bands here work harder), we have many successful bands out there, that are actively touring and putting awesome albums out. I could name a few from here that I listen to on my daily basis, most of them are pop punk bands like Modern Baseball, The Wonder Years, The Menzingers, Beach Slang , and some that are not fully active anymore like The Loved Ones, etc.
Skylar: I grew up in DC, but I was still listening to Atom and His Package and The Dead Milkmen all through my young punk phase. I’m still really into that weird dorky offshoot of punk rock. Which I guess kind of defines modern ska? I’ve filled in with a bunch of the ska bands in this city as well. They’ve all been fantastic.
Bruno: I have to echo Gee's thoughts on the Wonder Years. I've had their new album on repeat for months now.
Zach: Our old band “Hashtag Yoloswag”. Which was basically “Bro and Arrow”. ha. Skylar's old band “Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause” was really the solid punk ska staple here for the local scene in Philadelphia for years following the reign of Ruder Than You whose more traditional 2-Tone and Reggae-Rub-a-Dub ruled with an iron fist for decades. My own old band On Display did some time in the scene as well. Many phenomenal local bands were from the very close surrounding areas in NJ and PA such as my favorites Case of the Mondays (NJ) and The Waffle Stompers (NJ) who are worth finding on Spotify at the least. One band that has survived it all and you may have heard of is The Snails (PA) who are still kickin' up dust touring around with the infamous Slackers (NYC). And while The Snails hold down PA with other more traditional acts The West Kensingtons and Rock$teady, NJ has its own current lineup of ska rockers from the super technical No Such Noise to the super energetic Backyard Superheroes. If there's any band I wish was from Philly it would be Everything Ever from up in NYC which is still local tristate, but I wish they lived nextdoor. Great guys still pushing the limits of Pop Punk with a dash of Say Anything poetic attitude. Be on the lookout for them!
Chris: Gregory Alan Isakov.
What’s the local scene like in Philly? What are some of the best places to play?
Best place to get a cheesesteak is …?
