MxPx release "Secret Weapon" ahead of their next livestream—watch
MxPx have returned with a new video for their song “Secret Weapon.” The visual dropped in advance of the group’s latest entry into the “Between This World And The Next” concert series.
Returning Friday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. PDT, “Between This World And The Next” sees the band get back to their fan-favorite livestream format. MxPx expect to play a long setlist, with songs spanning from across their career.
Read more: Joel Madden, Pierre Bouvier and Jordan Pundik discuss rescheduled tour
Ahead of their show, the band dropped their latest video, “Secret Weapon,” recorded during one of the group’s live performances. In the visual, MxPx runs through the blistering title track of their 2007 album Secret Weapon. The performance captures the inclusive setting that has been the hallmark of their livestream concerts.
“Between This World And The Next” is MxPx’s response to the interruption caused by COVID-19. Rather than wait around for concerts to return, the band seized on the opportunities presented by livestreaming. The series premiered in October, marking the act’s first full-band concert since the shutdown began.
MxPx took an innovative approach to the event, electing for a more personal approach shaped by fan interactivity. In a trailer for the first performance, lead vocalist and bass player Mike Herrera framed the series as a new format that could grow over time.
Read more: Tom DeLonge thinks it’s funny when people impersonate “I Miss You”
In an exclusive Alternative Press interview, Herrera expanded upon the goal for the series in advance of the June 4 performance.
“We wanted these online performances to be different from a regular live-in-person show, so we approached it more like LIVE TV,” Herrera says. “Not only do we play a live set of songs, but the show is also interactive. Fans can jump into the chat, ask questions, request songs and even help build the many unscripted moments throughout the show in real-time. We wanted to make ‘Between This World And The Next’ (our online show series) stand on its own, something new and exciting but different from everything else we have done in the past.”
Read more: 10 punk vocalists from the ’70s who upended mainstream rock standards
The new video follows the band’s previous single, “Can’t Keep Waiting,” which was released April 16. Herrera, who also performs with Goldfinger and Tumbledown, explained to AltPress that the song spoke to the intense emotions that accompany growth and self-discovery.
The next “Between This World And The Next” stream will take place June 4 at 6:30 p.m. PST and tickets are available here. To learn more about the new single and upcoming event, read our exclusive interview with Herrera below.
You’ve developed several innovative approaches to live streaming in the past year or so. Can you tell us about “Between This World And The Next” and how you approach doing virtual events like this one?
We wanted these online performances to be different from a regular live-in-person show, so we approached it more like LIVE TV. Not only do we play a live set of songs, but the show is also interactive. Fans can jump into the chat, ask questions, request songs, and even help build the many unscripted moments throughout the show in real-time. We wanted to make “Between This World And The Next” (our online show series) stand on its own, something new and exciting but different from everything else we have done in the past.
Streaming events like yours are unique in this period. How important are these events for staying in touch with fans during the COVID era?
The fans that have been a part of our live streaming events love that it is interactive and actually LIVE. They can see us change the set based on what’s happening in the chat. I think psychologically, the shows have positively affected fans feeling the negative impact of being isolated from friends and family due to the pandemic.
You’ve released a new live visual for “Secret Weapon.” Can you tell us about the video?
This song has always been a top 5 MxPx song for me. One hell of a triumphant, uplifting melodic hardcore song. Kids love it, and parents can’t hate the message!
This song is here to give energy and life to all of us that need a little encouragement. You are your own secret weapon, it’s all up to you.
Earlier this year, you dropped the single “Can’t Keep Waiting.” Did this release feel different from past song drops? How do you approach the recording process and the creative process more generally in this era?
This release felt great! We actually played this live on our “Between This World And The Next” series for months before finally recording and releasing it. This was the first time we played a song to an audience that was not entirely finished. They got to see “Can’t Keep Waiting” get tweaked each time we played it and develop into the song we released. If you put in the work, good things will come back in ways you cannot quantify. “Can’t Keep Waiting” is our best song. And I know it is said that all songs can’t be good, but why not? My mindset is to put out our best song every time we release something. What a concept, right? We are the best we have ever been!
What should fans expect from the June 4th Between This World And The Next performance?
We’re here to have fun and create an experience that you will attach memories to; that is what “Between This World And The Next” is all about. “Between This World And The Next” is our online show series, and we always create a whole new set for each round. For Friday, June 4, we have a long set filled with songs ranging from the many different styles of our albums. This set includes some super hardcore-sounding songs, pop punk, skate punk, hard rock hits, the fan favorites, [and] even the songs that have been long-forgotten or have fallen through the cracks, but we are happy to have brought them back for these special online performances. It’s so much fun! Join us in the chat or kick back and turn it up.
