the story so far – Alternative Press Magazine https://www.altpress.com Rock On! Thu, 21 Mar 2024 14:15:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://www.altpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/24/attachment-alt-favi-32x32.png?t=1697612868 the story so far – Alternative Press Magazine https://www.altpress.com 32 32 The Story So Far announce new album I Want To Disappear, share “Letterman” https://www.altpress.com/the-story-so-far-letterman-video-watch/ Thu, 21 Mar 2024 14:15:14 +0000 https://www.altpress.com/?p=225626 Alternative Press has teamed with the Story So Far on an exclusive “orange crush and black butterfly” vinyl variant of their new album, limited to 500. Snag yours now in the AP Shop

The Story So Far are officially back. After releasing the single “Big Blind” last year, they’ve now announced their first album in six years, I Want To Disappear, due June 21 via Pure Noise and available on exclusive orange crush and black butterfly vinyl in the AP Shop. Check out a mock-up of our variant below.

Read more: Every A Day to Remember album ranked: From worst to best

Produced by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Drain, Koyo), the album features “Big Blind” as well as new single “Letterman.” While “Big Blind” is the kind of pop-punk banger that TSSF have excelled at since day one, “Letterman” finds them further exploring their softer, more delicate side. It comes with a black-and-white performance video, and you can check that out below.

As announced earlier this week, the Story So Far are also gearing up to provide direct support on the huge A Day to Remember tour, which also features Four Year Strong on all dates and additional support from Militarie Gun, Pain of Truth, and Scowl on select dates. All dates below.

TSSF I Want To Disappear

The Story So Far IWTD Vinyl

I Want To Disappear tracklist
1. “All This Time”
2. “Watch You Go”
3. “Letterman”
4. “Jump The Gun”
5. “Big Blind”
6. “Nothing To Say”
7. “Keep You Around”
8. “You’re Still in My Way”
9. “White Shores”
10. “I Want To Disappear”

The Story So Far 2024 tour dates
June 6 – Waite Park, MN – The Ledge Amphitheater
June 8 – Maryland Heights, MO – St. Louis Music Park*
June 9 – Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater*
June 11 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park*
June 12 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill*
June 14 – Cleveland, OH – Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica*
June 15 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena*
June 16 – Buffalo, NY – Terminal B at The Outer Harbor*
June 18 – Mississauga, ON – The Theater at Great Canadian Resort*
June 21 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena*
June 22 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Carrie Furnace – Four Chord Music Festival !
June 23 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain*
June 25 – Baltimore, MD – Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena#
June 26 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center#
June 28 – Boston, MA – The Stage at Suffolk Downs#
June 29 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Health Care Amphitheatre#
June 30 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion#
July 2 – Raleigh, NC – The Red Hat Amphitheater#
July 3 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park#
July 5 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory#
July 6 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater#
July 7 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum#
July 9 – Albuquerque, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center^
July 10 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamon Arena^
July 12 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena^
July 14 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds^
July 15 – Seattle, WA – WAMU^
July 18 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum^
July 19 – San Diego, CA – PetCo Park^
July 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre^
July 22 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre^
July 24 – La Vista, NE – The Astro Amphitheater^
July 25 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island^
July 26 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom^
July 28 – Nashville, TN – Municipal Auditorium^

! Festival performance
* with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Militarie Gun
# with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Pain Of Truth
^ with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Scowl

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A Day to Remember announce huge North American summer tour https://www.altpress.com/a-day-to-remember-2024-tour-dates/ Tue, 19 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0000 A Day to Remember have announced a big North American headliner, which they’ve dubbed The Least Anticipated Album Tour, and they’re bringing along some friends. The summer run mixes the old guard with the new, as the Story So Far and Four Year Strong are on for the whole tour, whereas Militarie Gun, Pain of Truth, and Scowl will open on select dates.

The tour kicks off June 6 in Waite Park, Minnesota and wraps July 28 in Nashville. A Day To Remember will also make appearances at several festivals later this year, including Welcome To Rockville, Hangout Fest, Sonic Temple, Four Chord Music Festival, and When We Were Young

Read more: Every A Day to Remember album ranked: From worst to best

Presale begins today at noon ET, while public on-sale begins Friday (March 22) at 10 a.m. local. See the full list of dates below.

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Four Chord Music Fest 2024: Something Corporate, A Day To Remember, Militarie Gun + more https://www.altpress.com/four-chord-music-fest-2024-lineup/ Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:59:33 +0000 The Something Corporate reunion continues at Pittsburgh punk festival Four Chord Music Fest, the band’s first-announced show of 2024 and still one of very few shows they’ve played since returning last year. The fest goes down on June 22-23 at the historic Carrie Blast Furnaces and also features A Day To Remember, the All-American Rejects, Motion City Soundtrack, the Get Up Kids, the Story So Far, Senses Fail, State Champs, Four Year Strong, Relient K, Microwave, Militarie Gun, Koyo, Action/Adventure, and more.

Read more: Militarie Gun are doing it faster

Festival founder Rishi Bahl says, “Ten years is a long time. Most things that you were into 10 years ago have not survived, so to reach the 10th anniversary of Four Chord Music Fest is something we are very proud of. We really tried to make this one the biggest and best one yet and are stoked to spend the weekend with all of you at our brand-new, historical landmark of a location, The Carrie Furnace. Get out the sunscreen and bring the Advil. It is going to be a party.”

Tickets are on early bird GA + VIP presale now, and the general public on-sale begins Friday (Feb. 23) at 11 a.m. ET. See the full lineup below.

Four-Chord-Fest-2024

DAY 1 (Saturday, June 22)
A Day to Remember
The Story So Far
Senses Fail
State Champs
Four Year Strong
Microwave
Militarie Gun
Koyo
Eternal Boy
Driveways
Action/Adventure
Cliffdiver
Mallory Run

DAY 2 (Sunday, June 23)
All American Rejects
Something Corporate
Motion City Soundtrack
The Get Up Kids
Relient K
Taylor Acorn
Hunny
Patent Pending
Keep Flying
People R Ugly
House Parties
Goalkeeper
Don’t Panic
Old Neon

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The Story So Far are back after 5 years with “Big Blind” https://www.altpress.com/the-story-so-far-big-blind-video-watch/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 21:34:13 +0000 https://www.altpress.com/?p=216745 California pop-punk outfit the Story So Far have just released their first new single since 2018’s Proper Dose. “Big Blind,” with swelling hooks, energetic vocals, and nostalgic guitar riffs, is distinctively TSSF.

With new fuel in their tank, the West Coast band are about to hit the road, opening for blink-182’s Europe and U.K. tour, adding some headlining shows of their own in Madrid, Milan, and more. They’ll also be playing at Hawthorne Height’s second annual alternative music festival, Is For Lovers, on Aug. 19.

Check out their “Big Blind” lyric video below.

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Sweet Pill is writing a love letter to Philly’s DIY scene with their energetic melodic hardcore https://www.altpress.com/sweet-pill-where-the-heart-is-interview/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 20:00:06 +0000 https://www.altpress.com/sweet-pill-where-the-heart-is-interview/ In less than five years, Sweet Pill has gone from a local band playing rowdy hometown shows all over Philadelphia to a five-piece touring across North America. What started as a college project for guitarist Jayce Williams (the band’s lone New Jerseyan) and frontwoman Zayna Youssef has expanded into a fully formed band that’s already garnering recognition from artists like Hayley Williams and La Dispute

Williams and Youssef say it was when they rounded out their lineup and added Sean McCall on guitar, Ryan Cullen on bass, and Chris Kearney on drums that they really became what people know as Sweet Pill. Together, Sweet Pill is crafting a love letter to the Philly music scene and its community through their music — which is exactly what they aim to share with the rest of the world, show by show. 

Read more: Militarie Gun makes genre-bending hardcore that is constantly evolving

In May 2022, the band released their first LP Where the Heart Is, a 10-track record full of emo anthems that fuse hardcore with pop sensibilities. Their title track takes math rock elements and blends them with strong melodic hardcore guitar riffs and punchy lyrics — confidently introducing the band to the world through their freshman effort. 

You don’t have to look any further than the album’s cover art to see the impact Philly has had on the group. “The painter [who did the album art] was my neighbor in South Philly. During quarantine when I used to hang out on my roof, he would be out there on this roof painting,” Williams says. “I would play my guitar and he’d always tell me I should write a record. I was like, ‘I did,’ and sent it to him.”

Little did Williams know: His next-door neighbor was artist Kerry Dunn, a successful portraitist whose award-winning work has been exhibited across the country for over three decades. Through neighborly camaraderie and a shared love of art and music, Sweet Pill and Dunn collaborated to create a portrait for Where the Heart Is that has been captivating prospective listeners since the album’s release. 

“The album art helped a lot with people randomly listening to us,” Youssef says of the eye-catching image of her own likeness. After fans were reeled in by the art, they found that Sweet Pill’s music speaks for itself, and kept coming back for more. “All it took was somebody to share it with somebody.” 

sweet pill where the heart is

Luckily for Sweet Pill, one of those “somebodies” happened to be none other than Jordan Dreyer of the beloved post-hardcore band La Dispute. In September and October 2022, Sweet Pill joined fellow opener Pictoria Vark for the North American leg of La Dispute’s tour celebrating the delayed 10 year anniversary of their album Wildlife.

“We found out maybe two or three weeks into the tour that the singer of La Dispute is the one who found us and who pitched us for the tour,” Williams says. “It wasn’t a booking agent that recommended us or someone who was trying to do us a favor — our music was received well enough on the internet that someone like him found it.”

For Sweet Pill, the Wildlife anniversary tour was their biggest one yet. “I had to get a passport so we could play our two shows in Canada,” Kearney says. “Even being on the west coast was huge. I’ve never been to California at all so being able to play shows and get out there because of the music we create has been awesome.” 

In Philly, Sweet Pill has played everywhere from the skate park to the streets outside a brewery. Touring on such a large scale for the first time, the band who’s used to playing such lively shows in Philly’s DIY punk scene couldn’t help but notice the differences between crowds across the US and Canada. 

“At first, I was a little thrown off that people were just standing still to our set,” Williams says. “It took me a show or two to realize that it’s actually more meaningful that they are not moving around and that they’re just paying attention and listening.”

Even in less rowdy environments, the band and their listeners seem to bring a bit of that Philly energy to stages across the tour. It’s not uncommon to hear the band or their fans screaming in support of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Philly in general by extension, during a Sweet Pill show.

“We like yelling ‘Go Birds!’” McCall says.

“Nobody really cares about sports in our band, but it’s part of the charm,” Youssef says, with McCall chiming in that it’s “like Shalom!” Or as Kearney describes, “Like Shalom: Hello,’ ‘Goodbye,’ ‘Go fuck yourself.’”  

Whether it’s through hometown pride or meeting fans after shows, the band emphasizes how important it is to them that they feel connected with the people who come out to see them perform. “One person came up to me and was having a really bad week. He was shaking and very nervous and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. Like, what can I do?’” Youssef says. “I gave him a hug and it was a very long one. It was new to me to experience that.”

It’s a testament to how much their melodic hardcore music resonates, and a feeling Sweet Pill knows all too well, having looked up to their favorite bands just the same when they were younger.

“I knew when that person went home they were gonna think about it the same way I did when I met Paramore for like 30 seconds. I didn’t shower for a week!” she says. “I’m not trying to have a big head about it, but these lyrics and this music is out there and it creates feelings for people. That’s the whole point, for me, at least.”

Sweet Pill are also taking the communal aspect of the Philly DIY scene with them on the road. When the first date of the Las Vegas pop-punk music festival When We Were Young was canceled due to inclement weather in October 2022, many of the bands slated to play immediately began scouring Vegas for venues to host impromptu sideshows. But because of the way the festival grounds were organized, it wasn’t easy to get their gear off their tour buses and to the gig. Serendipitously, enter Sweet Pill, who were in town for the festival while in between tour dates with La Dispute, and had transportation and easily accessible gear. 

“Because all these bands had their buses parked in such a way at the festival grounds, their gear was hard to move out,” Youssef explains. As luck would have it, Sweet Pill was driving around Vegas in their retrofitted mini school bus that doubles as the band’s sleeping quarters and gear transportation. Because La Dispute was scheduled to perform at When We Were Young Fest, Sweet Pill had a break in the schedule on the Wildlife tour and decided to attend the festival. Suddenly, their little blue bus full of gear became their golden ticket to scoring a slot playing one of the evening’s last minute shows.

Youssef describes the band as being like “a package deal with La Dispute” for the weekend, so when La Dispute announced their Saturday-night sideshow with Mom Jeans and the Wonder Years, Sweet Pill was the band that snagged the final slot to round out the lineup. Each band playing that show ended up using Sweet Pill’s backing equipment — including Chris Kearney’s drumkit adorned with the band’s album cover art and they all took time out of their set to shout out and thank the band while the crowd took photos and videos that displayed Dunn’s portrait work.

sweet pill live

[Photo by Max Shaw]

The following day at the fest was no less chaotic. While Youssef had an artist wristband to perform onstage with La Dispute, her bandmates did not. That aside, they all walked with purpose past security — brandishing their Wildlife anniversary tour laminates that conveniently matched the color of the festival artist passes. (“Security was like ‘Oh yeah, let us walk you to your trailer,’… “We don’t have a trailer!” says Youssef.) Save for a few run-ins with individual security guards, they spent much of Sunday sneaking backstage and into VIP artist lounges where they rubbed shoulders with the likes of Parker Canon of the Story So Far and Taking Back Sunday’s Adam Lazzara.

With When We Were Young Fest behind them and the La Dispute tour over, Sweet Pill has their sights set on the future. In December 2022, the band joined Into It. Over It. for their Chicago hometown show, as well as the Philly-based Champagne Jam hosted by the Front Bottoms

A dream of theirs, though, is to collaborate with Paramore. To say Youssef is a Paramore stan would be an understatement. While most members of the band answered audibly about who they would like to work with, Youssef, on the other hand, got up, picked up a copy of Alternative Press with Hayley Williams on the cover, and held it while standing next to one of the many Paramore posters hanging on her wall. 

Even without watching how excitedly Youssef bounced around her room talking about Paramore, Sweet Pill’s love for the band shines through in their music. Listening to “High Hopes,” or “Diamond Eyes” one can hear “All You Know Is Falling”-esque vocal breakdowns. Even more, Youssef herself says the band’s song “Cut” was inspired by “Simmer” from Williams’ solo project, Petals for Armor.

The band made it clear that if there’s another iteration of Paramore’s cruise event Parahoy! and they’re looking to fill out their roster, Sweet Pill is on deck. There’s no doubt the band could use their Philly roots to develop the currently non-existent DIY scene at sea.

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Catch Taylor Swift, Placebo and more on the road https://www.altpress.com/taylor-swift-placebo-tour-dates/ Thu, 03 Nov 2022 22:15:41 +0000 This is Tour Guide, a weekly recap of the concert news music fans don’t want to miss. Basically, run — don’t walk — to get these tickets.

Taylor Swift unveils her long-awaited 2023 stadium tour

Following the release of her 10th studio album Midnights, Taylor Swift has revealed a long-speculated 2023 stadium tour. The run will highlight different eras of her career, past and present. Along the way, she’s bringing out a killer rotation of alternative artists to support, including Paramore, Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA, beabadoobee, HAIM, girl in red, GAYLE, Gracie Abrams and OWENN. Grab tickets Nov. 18 here. —Neville Hardman

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkawwhLufL1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Placebo announce first North American tour in nine years 

Following the release of their eighth studio album Never Let Me Go, British alternative rock band Placebo will embark on a North American headlining tour in the spring of 2023. The tour kicks off in Mexico City April 17 and will be a momentous occasion, as it will be their first North American performance in nine years. LA-based rock duo Deap Vally will play every date of the tour with the exception of Mexico City, as well as beloved dark-wave act Cold Cave, who will join the Los Angeles date at the historic Greek Theatre. Tickets go on sale Nov. 4 here. —Alessandro DeCaro

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkQwIZ5I1J2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Militarie Gun announce California holiday shows 

Alternative-hardcore act Militarie Gun will hit California for a special run of holiday shows this December. The four-date run kicks off Dec. 7 in San Diego and will stop in Hesperia and Los Angeles before wrapping up in Oakland at Starline Social Club. Melodic-hardcore unit Anxious, as well as Pile Of Love (members of the Story So Far), will support. Militarie Gun, who feature members of Regional Justice Center and Drug Church, released All Roads Lead To The Gun (Deluxe) in October via Loma Vista and are making considerable waves within the hardcore scene. Tickets are on sale here. —Alessandro DeCaro

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkbQ4KdpV8B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Meet the Swemos, the Taylor Swift and emo fandom taking over the internet https://www.altpress.com/swemos-taylor-swift-emo-fans/ Mon, 24 Oct 2022 23:30:51 +0000 https://www.altpress.com/swemos-taylor-swift-emo-fans/ What’s something Taylor Swift and emo bands have in common? While that statement feels like some kind of “chicken crossing the road” jive, you’d be surprised what similarities Swifties and swoopy-haired emos share. Whether it’s despairing lyrics poetically mapping out the cruel fate of a broken heart or how the media has often vilified both for those vulnerable lyrics, their common denominator seems to lie within their fanbase. Self-described “Swemos” sit at the crossroads between loving Swift and emo music, singing along to moody tracks like “Better Than Revenge” with an equally moody, dark attire. While it may sound like a concept straight out of Tumblr, the Swemo army is a force to be reckoned with.

Read more: 15 of Taylor Swift’s most emo songs ever, ranked

You can also spot Swift and her best friend Abigail wearing Boys Like Girls merch on the MTV series Once Upon A Prom. She even joined Avril Lavigne onstage.

Perhaps the greatest staple of emo royalty is Swift’s love of Paramore and her timeless friendship with Hayley Williams. She’s been seen jamming out to “Misery Business” before, and, of course, there’s Williams’ cameo in “Bad Blood.” 

“They both have a good way of describing emotions,” Tina Baer explains, a longtime emo Swiftie and the host of the extremely popular “Swemo” nights. In their own words, they describe a Swemo as “someone who’s a fan of Taylor Swift but also considers themself to be a big fan of emo music, whether that’s considered to be traditional emo all the way into pop punk [and] hardcore.” When asked about the connection between emo and Swifties, Baer pinned it down to the emotions behind the song. “I think that’s why a lot of people connect with both because you can find both in a pop-punk song that is sad, like ‘Clairvoyant‘ by the Story So Far,” Baer says. 

Zac is another devout emo Swiftie who hadn’t heard the phrase “Swemo” before but definitely resonates with it. “I think a lot of Taylor Swift’s best stuff has the same sort of broken-heart energy as a lot of emo, and it has a similar take on it — think ‘You Belong With Me‘ and compare that to, say, ‘Cute Without the ‘E”  — but I think it’s pretty obviously less misogynistic and toxic than a lot of the popular emo stuff.” 

Lexi also had no clue about the phrase that’s helped unite so many music fans. 

“It applies to me, but I’d interpret it more as ’emo Swiftie’ than ‘Swemo’— same thing, though.” They muse about why these two seemingly unconventional worlds, one that’s soft pop and the other that’s rage-fueled angst, blend so seamlessly. “The internet, specifically for a certain generation/age range, really has us in a bubble and engaging with the same songs [and] artists throughout the years,” they explain. “2013-14, was the 1975, and by 2015, I was on Halsey stan Twitter. It’s been interesting, too, because I think some of those Tumblr-era artists have bridged the gap between Swifties and emo — even if they’re necessarily not. Jack Antonoff was playing shows with Jersey-era emo bands before he produced for Swift and the 1975. Halsey has been a noted emo fan but still is a huge supporter of Swift and her fans, which also have a lot of overlap.” 

What came first for these fans, though, emo or Swift? “I was 16 when ‘Blank Space‘ came out, and I was definitely a snobby kid who didn’t like pop, but something about the hook was just so undeniable to me,” Zac admits. “I started listening to it ironically first but ended up just really loving the song, so I checked out 1989, and it blew me the fuck away. It was honestly such a fresh and exciting take on pop, and it’s still one of my favorites today.” 

For Kindra, who DJs Emo Nights and Taylor Swift Nights across the U.S., emo came first. “Being ‘the emo girl’ in a small town in Missouri is the legacy I left behind,” she explains. “I think my days of defending emo music actually prepared me for the backlash that sometimes comes with being a Swiftie.” Kin praises Swift’s music for how it mends a heartbreak, much like emo ballads. “Any heartbreak I’ve ever had has been mended by music. Shout out ‘Come In With The Rain’ by Taylor Swift and A Twist In My Story by Secondhand Serenade for getting me through my first breakup. The best part about being a Swemo is the amount of songs you have in your ‘hard days’ playlist. There’s a song for every stage of grief, in any situation.”

“The fun thing about these events is there are a lot of pop-punk covers of her songs. I utilize that,” Baer says. While she admits she’s “not a DJ in the least bit,” Baer has attended Swift parties and emo nights alike. But when she posted a TikTok that gained traction, she began conceptualizing a Swemo party.

“I’ve been going out to these events, making friends with people that either like running them or know how to run them,” Baer explains. “We found a place in Brooklyn, and it sold out. They had to open downstairs, which was really unexpected for my first-ever event.”

The self-proclaimed Swemos have more influence than you think. Though a growing phrase, it seems many are aligning themselves with this subcategory now that it has a proper name. After all, the emotional language of both Swift’s music and the emo genre speaks to those who’ve known true heartbreak and loss. If one thing is clear, though, it’s that you don’t mess with Swemos. They listen to sad, angsty music day to day and can decode cryptic messages from their musicians like it’s nothing. 

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blink-182 drop triumphant new single “Edging,” their first song with Tom DeLonge in 10 years https://www.altpress.com/blink-182-edging/ Fri, 14 Oct 2022 20:39:18 +0000 At last, the reigning kings of pop punk blink-182 have shared their new single “Edging,” featuring the return of original guitarist and co-vocalist Tom DeLonge. Additionally, the band will release their long-awaited ninth studio album next year.

This past Tuesday, blink-182 broke the internet with the announcement of DeLonge’s return after departing the group in 2015 and an upcoming world tour — as well as a hilarious teaser video for “Edging” (with their signature crude humor that gave us major Take Off Your Pants and Jacket vibes).

Read more: Every blink-182 album ranked

“Edging” is the first song to feature DeLonge on vocals in nearly a decade since the release of their last joint effort Dogs Eating Dogs in 2012. Naturally, it finds DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker picking right back up where they left off. 

Musically, the new track feels like the most comprehensive representation of the band’s sound, with their signature blend of snarky dual vocal lines courtesy of DeLonge and Hoppus, anthemic choruses and Barker’s inventive drum patterns. While blink-182 may not be in their early 20s anymore, the youthful energy that they’ve always exuded is once again at the forefront of their music.

blink-182 are set to have a busy 2023 with a massive world tour that features a stacked lineup of heavy hitters such as Turnstile, Rise Against, the Story So Far and Wallows. Tickets are now on sale here

Additionally, blink-182 ware one of the main headliners for the 2023 installment of the highly anticipated When We Were Young Festival alongside major players in the pop-punk world, including Green Day, Good Charlotte and the Offspring, among many others.

Listen to “Edging” below.

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Meet Koyo, the Long Island quintet at the forefront of the melodic hardcore and emo revival https://www.altpress.com/koyo-interview-straight-north-ten-digits-away/ Thu, 28 Jul 2022 19:00:38 +0000 https://www.altpress.com/koyo-interview-straight-north-ten-digits-away/ It goes without saying that Long Island, New York, is synonymous with hardcore and emo music. From Glassjaw to Taking Back Sunday, the region has birthed some of the scene’s heaviest hitters. 

Read more: How hardcore band Anxious made a coming-of-age record that fuses doo-wop and pop

 

Now, in 2022, Long Island’s own Koyo are set to become the scene’s next major export of candid and timeless music. At the tail end of 2021, they released their unexpected hit EP Drives Out East, a four-song collection of immediate, nostalgic and sincere material that scored the band near-immediate hype and a record deal with scene powerhouse Pure Noise Records. Koyo are gearing up to record their highly anticipated debut LP and bring their brand of melodic hardcore to the masses. 

Since the release of your critically acclaimed EP Drives Out East, Koyo experienced immediate hype within the scene. Was this expected? 

HAROLD GRIFFIN: I don’t think we expected anything. The inception of this band was honest and genuine — just friends hanging out making music. We never wanted to tour or take it seriously at all, but the reception was overwhelming. One of the things I think people take from us is the nostalgia element, and we are so heavily influenced by the bands we grew up listening to. 

JOEY CHIARAMONTE: When we did our first EP, I was showing it to my friends who played in various bands, and they swore on their lives that there was something tangible about this band and that we should tour and make it a real thing. We were all in disbelief because when you’re making the music, there isn’t that self-awareness in real-time. Honestly, I am so glad our friends were so adamant about believing in this project because I don’t know if we’d be here right now if there weren’t so many people in our ears. 

At the start of the year, the band signed to Pure Noise Records, one of the most influential labels in this scene. What has the experience been like so far?

CHIARAMONTE: Speaking on how it’s been with the label, it’s shattered my expectations. It’s been so far beyond what my predicted scope of it would be. I didn’t realize how much die-hard attachment people had with the label. With the new singles, the jump in our audience has been night and day. I’m almost losing track. 

Speaking of the newest singles “Ten Digits Away” and “Straight North,” the music sounds considerably juiced up but still retains your classic rawness. How did these songs come together? 

GRIFFIN: I wrote “Straight North” before COVID hit, actually. I didn’t think it would fit on Drives Out East, so we were sitting with it for a long time. 

TJ ROTOLICO:Ten Digits Away” was also a pre-Drives Out East song as well. Hilariously enough, I sent it to the band in our group chat, and no one responded. [Laughs.] When we went to New Jersey to work with our producer Jon Markson, he really made both of these songs shine. 

attachment-DSC02882

[Photo by Steve Levy]

Being at the forefront of the melodic hardcore and emo revival, why do you think this scene is having such a resurgence? 

CHIARAMONTE: I think a lot of it has to do with contrast to everything that has been happening in the greater hardcore music space in the last five years. There was a big wave of heavier stuff popping off, and I think the reason stuff like us is taking is because it’s a harsh contrast to that. The most radical shift is a return to the more melodic, pop-punk-inspired hardcore stuff. The last time that was blowing up was almost 10 years ago with bands like the Story So Far and Transit. Nostalgia is a dangerous thing, but people innately fall back on what they grew up on. When the greater culture is down for mixed bills, diverse-sounding lineups ranging from heavy to soft, existing under the same rooftop, then everyone wins. 

I think that is spot on. Not to mention, you’ve recently been part of a very mixed tour with Knocked Loose, Kublai Khan and Movements. Without a doubt, it seems to be working. 

CHIARAMONTE: It’s working so well. Every single show has been sold out, and our band is dead center of it all in terms of musical styles. There isn’t a single snoozer of a set, no one gets skipped over and people are there truly appreciating all of it. Shoutout to Knocked Loose and their team for making sure that we always play to a full room. I am so thankful for them. 

Obviously, Koyo are proud of their hometown of Long Island, which has a rich history of birthing some of the scene’s most influential bands. How does it feel to be a part of that history now, and why is Long Island so special? 

GRIFFIN: It’s the greatest place on Earth. New York is the cultural epicenter of the world, so it’s no surprise that we are home to the best food, art and nature. 

CHIARAMONTE: Long Island has it all. Just as a piece of geography, it’s an anomaly, and I think that inspires a lot of art. 

GRIFFIN: Obviously within our conversation, it’s a little more localized with the Taking Back Sunday and the Movielife comparisons, but people also forget that some of the greatest artists in other worlds came from the same place. Some of the best rappers came out of Long Island. There’s no Mobb Deep or Public Enemy without Long Island. 

You are now preparing to work on your debut LP. What are the boldest risks you want to take both lyrically and sonically? 

GRIFFIN: We are at all times trying to stretch the limits of what we can do with this band while still maintaining an honest presence in the pocket we want to create. Our new material is really going to walk the boundaries of what this band can be, and we want to touch on everything possible. 

CHIARAMONTE: I don’t necessarily strive to take any particular risks when it comes to lyrics, but the one thing I always try to do and continue to do is write songs about my life and lived experiences. I will only write things that come from an honest and transparent place. I refuse to write about things that have nothing to do with my life.

FOR FANS OF: The Movielife, Taking Back Sunday, The Story So Far

SONG RECOMMENDATION: “Ten Digits Away” 

This story appeared in issue #407, available below.

 

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