Issue 9

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FOUNDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

STAFF

Dom Vigil

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Blake Britton Dillon Crader Dom Vigil Gabrielle DB Jordan Altergott

Kevin Menendez Nikki Steele Seth Wood Shannon Shumaker

CO-FOUNDER, MANAGING EDITOR Shannon Shumaker

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jordan Altergott Nick Reece Shannon Shumaker Svetlana Joukova

*COVER PHOTO BY SHANNON SHUMAKER

THANK YOU

This one was definitely a hard one, but we did it! Thanks a ton to all of the bands in this issue who were patient with us through the issues with the release date. Be Brave and Iona Grove, thank you for sitting and chatting with us. A big thanks also goes out to Cody Delong with Sound Rink for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with us, and to Austin Griswold for always being so accomodating and amazing to work with!

- Shannon Shumaker

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CONTENTS FEATURES

06 | WILSON Interview by Dom Vigil

Detroit’s Wilson talk about their new album, Right To Rise, their crazy live performances, and the impact that their hometown has on their songwriting,

18 | IONA GROVE Interview by Dom Vigil

In a round table interview, Iona Grove discuss their new lineup, the Denver music scene and plans for new music, coming very soon.

28 | SOUND RINK Interview by Shannon Shumaker

Written by Shannon Shumaker Three years after their breakup, Be Brave are back and ready to take Denver by storm all over again. Bassist Brett Marcovich talks about the cause behind the band’s demise and their plans to move forward.

It may be hard not to fall into old habits, but Denver’s own Be Brave are up to the challenge!

Sound Rink is quickly becoming the number one VIP ticketing service in the music industry. With an extremely expeienced staff, great customer support, and ideas that blow other services out of the water, there are great things in the future for Sound Rink. CEO Cody Delong chats about the company and their future.

SECTIONS 8 | SHOW REVIEWS

Dashboard Confessional and Third Eye Blind put on a memorable show at The Fillmore Auditorium, and Haste The Day plays one of only four album release and reuinion shows in Denver at The Marquis Theater.

38 | ALL INCLUSIVE

Kevin takes us to Virginia Beach for some patying and catching The Story So Far, Four Year Strong and Terror at Peabody’s.

42 | ALBUM REVIEWS

Senses Fail, Anthony Raneri, This Is All Now, Jule Vera, Four Year Strong, Koji & more!

48 | STAFF PICKS

To get you excited for The Vans Warped Tour, we’ve chosen our favorite summer jams from Warped bands, past and present.

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Wilson

How do you feel that Right To Rise differs from Full Blast Fuckery? In what ways has Wilson grown with this release?

James Lascu: FBF was essentially a collection of songs which Jason wrote over the years since Wilson’s inception.

When I joined the band about 3 years ago now, FBF was already, for the most part in the final stages of recording.

With R2R, we had a clear vision of what we wanted the record to be about and a solid lineup where each individual member had something to bring to the table creatively. We jammed out most of these songs in our practice space back home between tours, while also coming up with riffs and ideas on the road. There’s a lot more thought and passion put into R2R. We really wanted to tell a story not only with Chad’s 6 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM

lyrics, but with the music itself. I think you can hear and feel what every song is about with out necessarily having the lyrics there to guide you. Simply put, this album is the baby of all 5 members as opposed to just one.

Can you give us a little background for Right To Rise? What does this album mean to you guys?

R2R is about struggling to succeed, failing, picking yourself back up and standing against the current over and over again. It’s about embracing the bad things and learning how to coexist with them to reach a positive existence.

We didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Our home town really played a huge roll in this album. Because our home town plays the biggest roll in all of our lives. I personally was born and

raised in the metro Detroit area. My family had huge ties to the city itself. I practically grew up in the city. The city taught me how to play my instrument.

It taught me to love and appreciate art.

It taught me how to see the beauty hidden in ugliness. For me personally, this album gives me a chance to shine a positive light on a city that gets such a bad reputation worldwide.... How could a place I have so many cherished memories in be so demonized?

Ultimately it’s about showing the world what us and all our friends have known all along.

Now, I know you guys went about writing Right To Rise a little differently than your past music, so can you tell us a little bit about the writing process with this one?

What did you hope to accomplish by doing things in a different way?

We wanted to make the record our 14 year old selves would’ve fallen in love with at first listen. We wanted to make something that felt badass, dangerous and alluring all at once.

You said that your hometown of Detroit was a big influence on this album. How do you feel that being from Detroit has shaped you as people and musicians?

As people, I think being from Michigan in general has made us appreciate the simple things in life. Our families, friends, beautiful summers, and sense of community. There’s been so many economic hard times that everyone has faced in the past 15 years alone, that you can’t help but wake up so many days and say to yourself, “At least I still have my loved ones and dog.” As musicians, I think detroit has shaped us to think outside of genres. To love music for the escape it offers us. Even though long winters suck. They sure do give you an excuse to practice your instrument...A LOT.

We took a more traditional approach.

All of us individually would come up with riff ideas, or chorus ideas at home or on tour. We’d bring those ideas to the sweaty jam space and hash out riffs and counter ideas. Or we’d decide something would suck and make it better. We’d build and build on a simple idea together until we felt we could stand on it confidently. Jason is so good at arranging complete songs.

I would always feel confident coming into the jam space with him, Chad, Puhy and Kyle, that we’d walk out with some cool shit. Having that kind of trust and confidence in band mates is hard to find in my experience. Coming up with ideas at home, I wouldn’t stress about arrangement cause I knew my band mates could help me out with that together.

I feel like someone hasn’t really experienced Wilson until they’ve seen you guys live. (I for one was amazed by your energy on stage when I saw you for the first time, at least.) Why is a good live performance important to you guys?

We always try and tap into the intensity of every song when we play live. We want people to feel what we’re feeling.

In order to do that you have to manifest your insides on the outside. When it comes to a live performance people hear just as much with their eyes as they do with their ears... Does that make sense? We want people to know that we respect them. We’re gonna show that respect by sweating our fucking asses off. We want you to feel good about the hard earned money you spent to see us play. We want you to feel no regret for leaving your comfy couch and Netflix at home to come watch some dudes play rock and roll music. We want to make you feel positive and give you the strength to say, “Fuck it, I don’t care, I’m gonna bang my

fuckin’ head TOO.” What do you want people to walk away from one of your shows thinking or feeling?

If someone walks away with a smile on their face and a sweaty brow then we did our job. We want people to feel confident in their everything when they walk away from our show.

If you could change or improve anything about the music scene with Right To Rise, or just your music in general, what would it be and why?

I’ve always been one to think that everything has its time and place. Everything is as it should be. We don’t want to change or “improve” anything. We just want to be a part of people’s lives and culture and fucking rock as hard as we can doing it.

You guys are currently out on the road with Nothing More - how have those dates been so far?

The shows have been incredible. We are really close with the NoMo dudes.

We consider all 4 of them personal friends of ours. We are so proud of what they’ve accomplished up until this point. It’s so cool to see how much they’ve become a part of people’s lives all across the country. It’s an honor to be on tour with them and share the stage every night. We are eternally grateful for the opportunity they’ve given us to play our music in front of new people. To have the support and “OK” from a band like Nothing More is priceless.

After Right To Rise drops, what is the rest of 2015 looking like? More touring? Maybe some headlining dates?

There’s a lot of things we’re working on right now. Mostly it involves a shit ton of touring. Keep a look out for a new video in the near future as well!

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SHOW REVIEWS

THIRD EYE BLIND & DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL

@ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO July 9th, 2015

PHOTOS & STORY: Shannon Shumaker

To be honest, I can’t think of a better lineup than Third Eye Blind, Dashboard Confessional and Augustana.

Before I even stepped foot inside The Fillmore Auditorium on Thursday night, I knew I was in for a real treat, but by the end of the night, my expectations were blown away.

Kicking off the night was Augustana, and I’ll be honest - I’m a little biased, because before this show, I had been waiting years to see this band live. It seemed that every time Augustana came through Colorado, I missed them, and I was definitely excited to catch them on tour with Dashboard Confessional, who the band has toured with many times.

But even without my own personal bias, one thing was certain during Augustana’s set, and that was the crisp, clean and spot-on quality of the vocals. Admittedly, The Fillmore doesn’t have the best sound (I’ve walked away from multiple shows disappointed because the venue’s sound was sub-par compared to other auditoriums) but even from the back of the venue, the vocals seemed to shine, especially on some of the band’s more popular songs, “Boston” and “Sweet And Low.” While there weren’t any particularly crazy or entertaining stage antics, the band’s sound made up for 8 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM

it by miles.

Following Augustana was the return of the band that the majority of fans in the crowd seemed excited for: Dashboard Confessional. Right off the bat, Dashboard’s energy and stage presence was at an all time high, vocalist Chris Crarrabba storming onto the stage with a wide grin before addressing the crowd with an excted, “What’s up mother fuckers?!” Having seen Carrabba’s other project, Twin Forks earlier this year, I thought I knew what to expect from Dashboard Confessional, but it seemed that with a larger stage came more energy, and before long, the venue was exploding and guitarist John Lefler was rolling around on the stage while Carrabba screamed the lyrics to “Saints And Sailors” along with the crowd. With each passing song, the energy both on stage and in the crowd seemed to skyrocket. About halfway through the set, Carrabba’s cousin and Twin Forks bandmate, Shawn Zorn joined the band on stage with a floor tom to perform a cover of Twin Forks’ “Back To You,” which somehow, was even more high energy than the band’s previous songs. Closing out their set with fan favorites, “Stolen,” “Vindicated” and “Hands Down,” Dashboard ended their set

with a bang, leaving the stage in shambles and much of the crowd wondering how in the world Third Eye Blind was supposed to top that.

While the energy wasn’t necessarily as high or chaotic for the headliners, Third Eye Blind, it did seem that the venue only got more and more full before the band went on.

By the time they kicked off their set with “Faster” and “Graduate,” Third Eye Blind had the full attention of everyone in the crowd. Swapping raw energy for a beautiful production, pretty lights, and a stage presence that was impossible to take your eyes away from, it was apparent that Third Eye Blind wasn’t necessarily trying to compete with or one-up their tour mates, but instead give their fans a memorable and excitingly beautiful experience. Mixing in older hits and newer favorite tracks, Third Eye Blind dominated over The Fillmore Auditorium for seventeen songs (ending their set with “Jumper,” of course) before coming back for a two song encore, which was closed out by the band’s smash hit, “Semi Charmed Life.”

to beat the horde of fans that would soon flood the street, I couldn’t help but feel I had just witnessed one of the best performances of the year. Not one band seemed to compete with or outshine the other, as it was all apparent that they were very close friends, happy to be on tour together.

Carrabba even covered a segment of Augustana’s “Boston” during Dashboard Confessional’s set before bringing Third Eye Blind keyboardist Alex Kopp out for a song. The amount of joy and fun that the bands put forth on the stage was contagious, and I couldn’t stop smiling all the way home.

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HASTE THE DAY

@ The Marquis Theater Denver, CO May 29th, 2015 PHOTOS & Story: Shannon Shumaker

Haste The Day played the second of four release shows for their new album, Coward in Denver, and the turnout couldn’t have been better.

As soon as the doors of The Marquis Theater opened up, fans were already lined up and piling in the venue for a good spot in front of the small stage.

Having been sold out already for nearly a week, the show was bound to be packed full of excited and most of all, rowdy fans, both new and old.

Only one opener took the stage before Haste The Day, and the choice was perfect for the Denver fans in the crowd, who were more than familiar with local act, Forty Fathoms. I say Denver fans, because it was apparent that nearly half of the crowd at The 10 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM

Within no time, Forty Fathoms took the energy in the venue to a new level, prompting stage dives and crowd participation. Their set was polished and fun to watch, from the synchronized headbanging and jumping to the great sound, to a friend of frontman Taylor MacNicholas jumping on stage and pouring beer all over his face midset.

were pushing forward to get a good view of the stage, and by the time that the first note of Haste The Day’s set finally rang out, it was apparent that they had the crowds full, undivided attention. The lineup throughout the night consisted of frontmen Stephen Keech and Jimmy Ryan, (who swapped places on stage throughout the night and even teamed up on some songs, both new and old) Mike Murphy (bass/ vocals), Brennan Chaulk (guitar/vocals), Scotty Whelan (guitar), and Giuseppe Capolupo (drums) and guitarist Dave Krysl jumping in on a handful of songs as well.

By the time Forty Fathoms left the stage, however, the anticipation in the room seemed to skyrocket. Fans

For Krysl and Keech, this Denver show also served as a hometown show, and the band and crowd abso-

Marquis Theater was from out of state and even out of county - I saw a few people from Canada and New Zealand walk through the front doors early in the night.

lutely fed off of that energy. Throughout the explosive set (which was divided well between old and new material) members of the band were leaping into the crowd, fans were crowd surfing and stage diving, and at one point, I even watched a girl hang from a water line in the ceiling, only to flip upside down and leap back into the crowd.

The room was completely packed, the crowd nearly so big that the fans in the back were almost standing in the front room of the venue, and with good reason.

Haste the day opened up their set with the title track from Coward, straight into fan-favorites “68” and “Fallen,” before transitioning into another new song “Take” (which of course, everyone in the crowd already knew all of the words to). It wasn’t until Ryan took the stage again and the band played the first notes of “Blue 42” that the crowd really exploded, though. By the end of the song, mic stands were falling on the ground, venue security was helping fans off the stage, and Ryan had nearly spent more time in

the crowd than he did on the stage.

For a band who hasn’t played any shows together in about four years, Haste The Day still sounded spot-on live, especially in their newer songs. There were a few minor faults here and there - a few missed notes or some feedback early on in the set - but neither the band nor audience seemed to mind.

Quite possibly the last time Haste The Day will play Denver (at least in the foreseeable future) the band provided the crowd with a night they won’t soon forget. Despite a few years away, Haste The Day still had that same energy and heart that they did the last time I saw them in Denver for their farewell tour, and the crowd was just as packed (if not more) and even more enthusiastic and energetic.

Starting and ending the set strong, the band continued to pump out fan-favorite tracks such as “Stitches” and “American Love,” which had the entire crowd singing along with the clean parts, climbing on top of one another, and even some people walking on top of the crowd. The last three songs closed out the set flawlessly, as the band took the stage after much demand from the crowd. New track, “Reconcile,” opened up the encore, followed by “Pressure The Hinges” and “When Everything Falls,” leaving the room in ruins by the time Haste The Day left the stage.

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NEON TREES

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AWOLNATION 14 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM Photo: Jordan Altergott

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I PREVAIL

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Photo: Nick Reece

Iona Grove

STORY: Dom Vigil PHOTOS: Shannon Shumaker

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All of you have been part of the Denver scene in one way or another before Iona Grove, so what makes this band special or something that you wanted to be a part of?

AJ Quintanar [Guitar]: For me and Ryan, we’ve been trying to get a band off the ground for a while, and Iona Grove has always been an awesome band since they started, so when the opportunity arose, we figured what better band to merge with? Because the taste and writing similarities were just on point.

That’s it for me.

JJ Powell [Guitar]: Starting from our end, we’ve always had this mission and vision to write beautiful music that was aggressive. I think that was it, we just really wanted to make a different sound in a kind of convoluted scene.

Well I think it’s easier to write music when you’re not trying to be something you’re not.

Ryan Simms [Bass]: If you put pressure on yourself you can give yourself writer’s block.

Westbrook: The coolest thing about this band I think, is the chemistry between JJ and Adam in particular. They have this weird sort of telepathy thing that goes on when we write, where JJ doesn’t even have to tell Adam like what he has in mind, he’ll just play a riff that he thought of and within seconds, Adam’s already got it down on drums.

It’s the coolest thing to watch.

Powell: And the lineup as well. I think is the best lineup we’ve had to date, so this is awesome.

Powell: Yes, very smoothly.

Adam Dailey [Drums]: Not to say that anyone else is fake, but that’s how we feel.

Powell: Absolutely. I think that we do a really good job of just keeping things genuine.

Westbrook: Our only goal is to write the most beautiful heavy music as possible, and those are the only guidelines we have.

Well to branch off of that, with the lineup changing a little bit, how do you think that AJ and Ryan’s additions add to the band and help the songwriting process?

Quintanar: It was a little insane. We were actually throwing down prospective songs and all of the sudden we both pull out a song that uses the same chord structure.

So the writing between you guys goes smoothly?

Powell: I think our attitude. We don’t have anything to prove. We’re not trying to do something for someone else.

We’re doing it for our own enjoyment.

We don’t have any aspirations that are fake. Everything is just real and genuine and that’s what we want to deliver.

Quintanar: Totally. Bands will stay in that safe zone, you know what I mean?

They won’t branch out, but that safe zone gets wiped out within in the next couple of years.

Dailey: I’ve known Ryan and I’ve known AJ for a while, and since I’m the drummer, I’m always part of the writing process. With these guys coming in - we were actually doing a project before this called In Currents, and it never got lifted off the ground - but we already had this chemistry, so that’s why when we got these guys in, I was like, “It’s gonna be so easy to write.” I mean, when you bring in new guys, that’s the first concern; how are we gonna mesh together, how are we gonna write all of this good stuff?

Jackson Westbrook [Vocals]: We’re finally writing the kind of music that we’ve been wanting to write since day one, but we just got caught up in other projects. JJ and I did like a pop-punk thing for a while, and then Adam came in.

But now, we’re really happy with how this sounds.

What would you say then, would set you apart from other bands in the Denver scene?

ing about, too.

Dailey: But that’s what you get when we’re been playing for like four years together in different bands and stuff like that. It’s already starting to happen with everybody else, which is so nice.

The other thing I wanted to say about it is that we aspire to be more of a band like Thrice or Alexisonfire where they have this weird cult following. I think that’s something we’ve always wanted to obtain as opposed to something where maybe it’s only cool for a couple of months or a couple of years. It’s something you’ll love and treasure for years.

I think it has to do with the kind of content that those bands are writ-

Powell: We were like, “Wait, is that really the chord progression? Because I have the same exact one in another song!”

You guys released the Breathe EP back in January, and you’ve mentioned on facebook that you’ve been working on new stuff, so can people expect anything new soon?

Quintanar: We just got done recording a new single called “Winter” and it was self-produced. JJ did a lot of recording and we finished it up with me, mixing and mastering it. And Jackson should tell you what it’s about because that’s what really gets me.

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with ideas for lyrics, and there was a moment when everyone was like, “Oh I totally get that. Every winter I get kind of bummed out.”

Quintanar: Being a person that actually goes through that every year, once I made a connection with the lyrics, I was like, “Man, I love this song.”

Westbrook: Lyrically, I write a lot about depression and real things that I know a lot of people go through, especially in this scene - for whatever reason, it’s a lot more common. I wanted it to be relatable.

How do you think that song and that ones you’ve been writing compare to the Breathe EP? Westbrook: It’s almost a B-Side to Breathe.

Quintanar: It was written before a lot of Breathe was written.

Dailey: Actually, I think it was written before all of Breathe, pretty much.

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Powell: Yeah, it was from our poppunk days, and we brought it over and changed a lot of it to make it fit. It was a huge natural progression, especially into the new stuff we’re writing that will be coming out hopefully by the end of summer or early fall.

Is there anything you have planned for the new material?

Powell: We’ll have a lyric video out for the single that was produced by Red Boss Productions. They did lyric videos for Northlane and Architects.

And you released a video a couple of days ago for “Redwoods,” which was awesome! What made you want to do a video for that song?

Dailey: It was actually a battle of which song, because each of us wanted a different song.

Powell: Up until literally ten minutes before we shot it.

Dailey: Mainly, we feel like that song connects with our audience the most.

And a lot of people really dig that song, especially when we play it live. A lot of people know the lyrics and a lot of people connect with it, so that’s one of the big reasons.

I feel like it’s the perfect taste test song for your sound, too, because it has a little bit of everything that you guys do.

Powell: It’s like a beer sampler.

Westbrook: And lyrically, it might be the most relatable song. I wrote it about a friend of mine who died of cancer two years ago, so I think anyone who has ever lost someone close to them will be able to relate pretty well.

If you guys could change anything about the music scene, whether on a local or national level, what would you change and why?

Quintanar: Working together. Everybody is kind of in it for themselves

and this might be my own view, but I feel like a lot of friendships in the local scene can be very face value. You’ll keep that contact in case you need to leverage it later or something.

Simms: Even if you bomb it on stage, they’ll be the ones to be like, “Oh you killed it bro!”

Quintanar: But I’d rather hear the truth and I’d rather have actual brother bands that we hang out with all the time and do BBQ’s with and hang out with outside of playing these four walls.

Powell: I think that’s something that we really enjoy about the scene though, as well. There are times where you make those relationships. For example, we’re really close with the guys in Kaji, which is the other group I play with. Another band we are close with is Forty Fathoms, we’re going to try to run over to their show after we play tonight. And it’s awesome having these other bands in the scene that you can talk to, and I talk to Taylor [MacNicholas, Forty Fathoms] all the time about music business

and stuff. It’s really awesome to have those kinds of relationships, but also bands that are touring and also will talk to you and relate with you after the set.

Like the Mouth Of The South guys recently were so chill.

It’s good when someone is in it not because you can do something for them but because they genuinely want to be your friend.

Quintanar: Exactly. It’s cool when the touring bands actually watch the local bands’ sets. Sometimes it feels like if you’re opening for bands that are coming through touring, they don’t give you the time of day.

Powell: There is one band that will remain nameless that I played with, who I had been a huge fan of since I was fourteen, and I went up to their guitarist and said “I’m so excited to play with you guys this is so awesome,” - and I understand that they’re out on tour but he was just like, “Oh, cool,” and just walked away. I don’t like that band as much anymore because of that.

Simms: It ruins it, doesn’t it?

Quintanar: On the other hand, I had never really listened to Mouth Of The South before, and then I met those dudes, and now I’ve been jamming their stuff because they were such cool guys.

Powell: I would change that dynamic between local and national acts, because they were all there.

Quintanar: Everyone starts out as a local band, you know? So it’s cool when people seem a little bit grounded, like they know where they came from.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dailey: Keep an eye out, keep an ear out for us. We’re going to be releasing some stuff later on this year.

FACEBOOK: /ionagroveband TWITTER: @ionagrove

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THE RETURN OF

PHOTOS & STORY: Shannon Shumaker

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IT SEEMS THAT NOWADAYS, WHEN A BAND BREAKS UP, IT IS ALMOST GUARANTEED

that they will get back together in five to ten years for a reunion show and accompanying tour to pay the bills, get their fill of performing once more, or simply because they missed playing together. It happened with Blink 182, Death From Above 1979, Thrice and countless others across all genres of music, and it will continue to happen as long as bands continue to make music together and break up (which, lets be honest, is going to be forever). So what really makes a band get back together? What makes them want to play music with one another again after months, years or even decades? On a local level, Dever pop-punk act Be Brave is going through that exact transformation.

Three years ago, Be Brave was on top of the Denver pop/rock music scene. Selling out headlining shows and gaining a rapidly growing fanbase in their hometown, the young band had never been in the position they were in before, so it’s no surprise that they didn’t know how to handle being thrust into the limelight, even at a local level. Eventually, this lead to Be Brave’s breakup in 2012, and for three years, that seemed to be the end of it.

Flash forward to 2015, though, and Be Brave are back at it again and more than ready to prove themselves, no matter what it takes. It seems that three years have done the group some good, and as bassist Brett Marcovich explains, it has also given them some time to grow up and really understand what is important to them, and they won’t let their past mistakes or current naysayers stand in their way. With a reunion show planned for July 24th at Summit Music Hall in Denver, and with plans already in the works for the future, it seems that Be Brave are back, and hopefully this time, for good.

What made you first want to start playing music?

back to it?

Brett Marcovich: I think I wanted to start playing because I loved Blink 182. I think that’s what everyone says, but I was an avid Blink 182 fan, which then turned into me getting my own gear, but I started out as a drummer. I think that’s what made me start wanting to play music, was watching Blink 182 and watching other bands. I went to a super prep school - in middle school and high school, I was the only kid who was into music - so I was like the scene outcast.

Well, we tried for the last three years, and it would be me and Matt [Neiberger, drums] trying to put it together, or me and Mike [Payne, guitar] trying to put it together, and everyone else didn’t have the time for it. I think we all didn’t realize what we had when we had it going three years ago. We got such a big following and everything going so fast that we didn’t realize how awesome it was, so over the past couple of years, we’ve all had that missing link of playing shows again. So finally, in the past three months, me and Mike and Matt put it back together. We got ahold of Ethan [Haase, guitar] and we didn’t think it was gonna work, actually. But

How has that translated over the years, from Be Brave starting to breaking up to now? What made you come

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as of these last couple of months, starting to practice again, it just kind of fell back into place. We’re all back where we were when we first started the band - excited about it again.

So it’s kind of cool, it’s a whole new fresh start, but I think it took us losing it to realize what we had, to be able to come back. It’s like that ex girlfriend… You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. That’s what Be Brave is to us - we didn’t realize what we had until it was gone, but now we’re back. We’re gonna go at it full throttle again this time.

And you’re not just doing the one off thing, you’re back back?

we’ll probably have to put new vocals to those songs. But for the show, we’re playing all old stuff - the first EP, Pursue The Dream, and that last EP that we’ve played one time, so it’s still kind of new in a sense. It’s three years new!

What would you say was behind the breakup?

I think we were just all kind of overwhelmed. Everything started blowing up so fast that I think everybody’s head kind of got a little bigger, and we kind of slacked off on getting to practice. We were partying a little bit harder. We were definitely in our party phase, which obviously does not go well, unless you’ve already blown up as a huge band, then that’s part of your job [laughs]. But if you party - BRETT MARCOVICH now, before you get big, it’s just not gonna work out. I think that’s what we were doing, we just partied too much and slacked off, and before you knew it, all of the sudden we weren’t practicing anymore and nobody was even talking about the band.

“...if you party now, before you get big, it’s just not gonna work out.”

We are back. We’ve locked in a new vocalist, but fans will have to wait and see who it is at the show! It’s a surprise.

I know a lot of vocalists don’t like to sing other people’s stuff, so we’ll keep a couple of songs, but probably just write a bunch of new stuff.

Are you thinking of playing any new stuff for the show?

For the show we’re playing the last EP that we recorded with Tom Denny. We went and recorded with him, came back and broke up, so we spent all of this money and all this time out in Florida and came back just to break up. So we’re kind of re-releasing that in a way, which is kind of hard because 24 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM

So it was kind of like, ‘Are we broken up? Are not a band anymore?’ And that’s kind of how it broke up. It was a bummer - we got a text from Matt at one point saying that he was done, so we tried to keep the band together, but without the original members, it was just impossible. Matt’s just a good drummer and you can’t replace him - we tried that. It’s just

“We’re so mad at what we did, that it’s our motivation now, to prove we can do it.

There are so many naysayers out there about Be Brave, and there are so many negative things about Be Brave out there that that’s what’s putting us together now - the motivation to do it right this time.”

- BRETT MARCOVICH that these original members are the only way that Be Brave would work. That’s probably the only reason we’re back - it’s because we’re those original members. It’s gotta be us four.

How do you plan on keeping yourselves in check then?

How you plan on not falling into old habits?

I think the biggest thing is that we’ve all grown up a lot in the past three years. We all have full time jobs pretty much, and we all don’t party anymore. That was our biggest downfall was partying and not staying in contact. Now, we just put a schedule together. We practice so many times a week, we’ve got the group text thing going, and we just stay in contact all the time, which is huge. Being in a band, if there’s no communication, you’re just gonna break up. It just doesn’t work out.

I think we’ve all learned from our mistakes, and that’s what’s gonna keep us in check this time - putting a schedule together and just working hard this time. The big thing is that we don’t party anymore. We just kind of partied ourselves out, which it was a good time, don’t get me wrong. I’m not gonna do it again, but I don’t regret it, because now it has made us more driven. I think that’s what’s keeping us together.

We’re so mad at what we did, that it’s our motivation now, to prove we can do it. There are so many naysayers out there about Be Brave, and there are so many negative things about Be Brave out there that that’s what’s putting us together now - the motivation to do it right this time. And to just prove all of the people wrong who say we’re not gonna do it.

crowds we started drawing before we broke up - that one show would last my adrenaline for a month or two. It was crazy, it was awesome. I still dream about playing shows, and now that it’s coming back… Oh god.

A lot of the bands you guys were playing with when you broke up aren’t around anymore, and there’s kind of a new batch of local bands, so how has it been getting used to that?

We were good friends with Rumors Follow - their band before was Regret Night - so those guys are still around, and they’ve always been like a brother band to us. We’re kind of the old wave jumping in with the new wave of bands like Redlands and The Host Club. We’ve been talking to a bunch of those bands, and we tried to get a couple of them on this show. This show was crazy, though. We had a lot of bands trying to get on this show, and it was hard to pick the final lineup, but I think we’ve got a good lineup for the show.

What’s the whole lineup looking like?

My buddy Dallas Garcia is opening up. He’s got this hip-hop project that he’s been working on for a couple of years. Redlands are after him, and they’re pretty good buddies with Matt. Then Rumors Follow, and 888.

While the bands have changed over the three years since Be Brave was a band, the scene has changed quite a bit too, so is it strange trying to adapt to that new scene?

Exactly. So before we even started practicing, we sat down and said, ‘Is this something we’re going to do seriously, or is it just to do this one show?’ I don’t think any of us wanted to do just one show and call it quits after that. We all talked about it and everyone is serious about it this time. We’ve all played music for so long that without being in a band it’s just hard.

I don’t know, because we haven’t really gotten to experience too much of it yet! We’re kind of just now at the promotion stage. Our ticket sales are doing well like they were before, so I feel like a lot of our fans are back. They’re older now, they’re not in high school anymore, but it’s so cool that they’re still following us. We haven’t gotten to experience like at a show - what the scene is like anymore yet. I’ve been to a couple of local shows though, and it’s dead. There’s no one there, so I’m hoping that it’s not going to affect our show.

It’s almost like you’re addicted to it, like you go through withdrawls.

It’s true! It’s sad, too. You’re not at practice, and it’s sad to not be looking forward to the next show coming up. You’re always looking for that high. One show - especially with the

I know a lot of people have said stuff like, ‘Now that you guys are back, hopefully the scene will revive a little bit.’ I know we drew really well, but we also pushed really hard for that.

We promoted non stop. My dad used to manage our band and he would make me, for eight hours a day, promote.

It’s like a relationship - you have to work hard at it.

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That’s what it takes.

And that’s what I did all day. I added people and sent them a link, and for every hundred people, one person would go like our page. But you do that all day for six months, and that’s why we’d have six or seven hundred kids that would buy tickets from us. It was hard, but we really worked hard for it, and I think a lot of bands don’t do that, and that’s why a scene dies. Now, it’s not about your music, because everyone can play good music. You’ve gotta go above and beyond that and promote your stuff and get people to come out to shows. You have to literally talk to everyone, and I think that’s one thing we’re really good at. We’re really personal with everybody. I love it, actually. I fucking love talking to everybody. I love talking, it’s my thing [laughs]. So that was my motivation to promote on facebook, because then I’d get to go meet them at the show.

What would you like to change about the scene?

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I wish there were more bands that would promote like us, because it would be ten times bigger. Everyone blames the scene dying on kids not showing up, but really, you’ve gotta give back to the fans as well. I wish people did that a little bit more.

What can you say for your fans to expect for the upcoming show?

We have a lot of special things that we’re putting in this show. We’ve got a lot of interludes for in between songs. We’re just gonna bring back that hype ten times more. We already went pretty crazy on stage, but we’re gonna bring that back. This show is like a reunion show. It’s a show to be like, “hey, we’re back,” and play all of the stuff that everyone remembers and then after the show, we’re just gonna be writing a ton of new stuff. They can expect new things to come.

FACEBOOK: / bebraveband

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STORY: Shannon Shumaker PHOTO: Provided

IF YOU ARE AN AVID CONCERT-GOER,

there’s a big chance that you are familiar with Sound Rink, as it seems that with every tour announcement comes a VIP upgrade for all die-hard and devoted fans. The VIP ticketing service, founded in 2012 by Cody Delong his partners, Jason Mageau and Scott Lee is quickly becoming one of the top companies in the growing market of VIP concert experiences. Having worked recently with artists such as Bayside and Silverstein, and with current packages on huge tours such as All Stars Tour and Rockstar Energy Drink’s Mayhem Festival, it comes as no surprise that the company has plans to expand even more in the coming years. If you aren’t familiar with Sound Rink, now is a better time than ever to acquaint yourself, as the company only promises to grow with each coming tour announcement.

CEO and Co-Founder, Cody Delong didn’t start his journey in the music industry with the intentions of creating and spearheading a major VIP ticketing service, but he did begin at a fairly young age. The 26-year-old got his start in the music scene as a concert photographer at the age of 13, shooting shows for local publications before branching out and moving up to promoting and booking. It was there, working for The Kenmore Agency in New Hampshire, that Delong was inspired to start Sound Rink.

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“I had a lot of bands going out that just weren’t happy with the service that was being provided by other companies,” Delong explained, “So basically, the idea came that we could do this better and we could definitely be able to provide a better service for these artists and VIP ticketing.”

Something that Sound Rink prides themselves on is their great customer service and knowledge of the industry.

Combined, Delong, Mageau and Lee have over 30 years of industry experience, and that is apparent when browsing Sound Rink’s website, learning about their various VIP experience packages, and even listening to Delong speak about it. Each package is catered specifically to the artist and their fans, giving them something unique and creative to go along with each experience. “We’re actually very active in creating these experiences with the artists, coming up with new ideas and coming up with unique ideas,” Delong said of the VIP experiences for fans, “For instance, we just did a VIP package that was for Veil Of Maya, and it included a lighter and an incense burner with their name engraved on it. So our idea is trying to come up with better, more creative ideas that really give the fan a unique experience a unique item, rather than just a poster, laminate and a, ‘hey, how you doing?’”

Delong also mentioned that there are some packag-

es that work great for a certain artist or genre, but would fall flat for others. To make sure that these VIP experiences are special for every fan who purchases one, Sound Rink works closely with the artists and their management teams to create something that their fans will love and remember for years to come. Another great example of that unique experience can be found in Suicide Silence’s recent VIP package, which came with the band’s own personalized brand of hot sauce.

“You wouldn’t sell hot sauce for a band like You Me At Six, though,” Delong expressed, explaining the difference between their varying VIP packages, “Their fans wouldn’t react to that, their fans would rather get an exclusive pair of Wayfarer sunglasses with the band’s logo on the side, or they’d rather get a tote bag, for instance. We definitely understand figuring out those niche items for each genre of music that work extremely well.”

Sound Rink is not only a hub for the concert-goer who wants a creative and intimate experience with their favorite musicians, but it also serves as an extra source of income for bands out on the road. Delong is well aware of the changing music industry, and rather than working against it, it seems that Sound Rink is only growing with it. “I come from a booking agent experience, and Jason and Scott both come from being managers, so we feel that we definitely understand all aspects of the model of VIP by being in different aspects of the industry,” he explained. “They understand it from the manager’s point of view and I understand it from the agent’s point of view, whereas there are a lot of other companies where the people who started them or the people running them are either people right out of college, who have never been a manager or an agent, or they’re just people who have always worked on the label side of things.”

What is becoming a norm for most tours in 2015 was merely just an idea for many bands a few years ago, even when Sound Rink first started. For instance, in 2013, the internet (or at least the music scene) exploded with criticism over Sleeping With Sirens’ $80 VIP meet and greet pack-

age, calling it outrageous and overpriced. While it wasn’t a package that Sound Rink worked on, Delong was more than aware of and knowledgeable about the story. “I think the way that they approached that was at the beginning of what is now becoming a norm,” he offered, “It wasn’t very generally accepted, and I personally feel that they took it a little bit too far at the time, because that was maybe the first or second time they had done VIP.”

Today, however, purchasing a $40 or $50 VIP ticket isn’t a very uncommon practice for many fans. As Delong noted, the price point isn’t unrealistic, as most VIP packages come with not only a ticket to the concert, but also a t-shirt, laminate and a poster, as well as an item that is unique to the tour or artist. On top of all of that, fans get the chance to meet the artist and have one-on-one time with them in a controlled environment. “Yes, you pay this money and you get to meet the band, but we really try to pride ourselves in providing a value for these smaller artists. Someone can go, ‘Oh, I’m paying $40 for this VIP package,’ but they’re really paying $18 for the ticket, and then they’re getting over $22 worth of items that all combined would probably retail over $40 if they were to buy it at the merch booth. So you’re really not paying to meet the band, you’re paying for the items, and this also guarantees you to meet the artists and have some cool interactions with them,” Delong explained.

Most of Sound Rink’s price points for VIP experiences top at the $40 to $50 range, which remains affordable for the fans purchasing the tickets, most of which would usually spend almost the same amount of money at the band’s merch booth during the show. One of Sound Rink’s few VIP experiences with a much higher price point is for the current Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, but even with a highest price of $749, the price point is still significantly smaller than most festival VIP packages, which can run fans up to $1,500 or $5,000, depending on the festival.

Delong also stressed that the Mayhem Festival experiences are different from Sound Rink’s normal packages, as they are higher end and geared more toward the

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die-hard fans. The lowest tier package for Mayhem Festival (priced at only $149) includes a meet and greet with at least three of the artists on the tour, a shaded VIP tent, a ton of merchandise and early entry into the venue, while the highest tier includes a custom guitar signed by King Diamond (valued at $599), dinner, backstage access and much more.

So far, the packages have also been a huge success. “[Mayhem] wanted it to be really interactive, but at the same time a high end experience for those fans who are willing to pay that extra money, and so far, we’ve had a great response from everybody who has done those,” Delong said, “We’ve had people emailing us very happy with the service, and we have staff out on the road for the entire tour that are handling it all and they’re really taking care of everybody.”

With a solid business plan and countless successful tours and VIP packages under their belts, one can only wonder what’s next for Sound Rink, and unsurprisingly, Delong is already searching for ways to better the company in the future. On top of goals to expand their outreach and musical genres that they work with in the next few years, Sound Rink is also on the verge of releasing an app, making them the first in their sector to do so. Set to release in August, the app will allow customers to not only purchase VIP tickets easily on their phone, but will also eliminate the need for a confirmation email to get into the venue. “A lot of people ask if they can just show their confirmation on their phone, so now you just have to get it on the app, pull it up on your phone and it shows your purchase. No more having to print it out, and it also saves trees,” Delong -CODY DELONG explained. On top of making the purchasing of tickets and the VIP experience easier, the app will also notify users of tour announcements and ticket sales. Additionally, app users will also receive exclusive discounts.

“The bands that do this do it because they want to meet their fans.”

Another big focus for Sound Rink is in using these VIP experiences to benefit both the fans who want to pay the extra money for the package, and the artists who want to take the time to have unique interactions with their fans. “The bands that do this do it because they want to meet their fans,” Delong expressed, “They’re guaranteed to meet all of these fans in an environment that they don’t feel like they have to just shoo the next person on. They can actually sit there and talk to them and have a connection. A really good example [of that] is we work with Silverstein and they like to do question and answer sessions, and they really enjoy it because they get to have a conversation with a limited amount of fans and answer everybody’s questions that they have.”

He continued, “Many of our artists have these acoustic sets and question and answer sessions that are limited to 30 per show, and they make fans for life out of those 30 people. Those thirty people also get an experience that they’re going to remember forever and they’re gonna go to the next concert and they’re probably gonna get the meet and greet again, and they’re gonna get those items and wear them and tell their friends.”

In any other environment, it is admittedly hard for an artist to have a unique interaction, or even a conversation with a fan without feeling rushed or interrupted. These question and answer sessions and meet and greets give the bands a chance to really sit down and interact with their fans, and as Delong expressed, they deserve to get paid for their time. As album sales are down, bands are pushing to make more money out on the road just to break even on a tour, and Sound Rink helps them get there, if not putting a little extra money in their pocket at the end of the day. While the VIP packages serve to further those fan/artist experiences, they are also a tool to keep the artists going in the long run.

“Like anybody else, time is money. If a band is going to spend an hour to meet their fans, they need to be compensated for that,” Delong explained, “There are artists who do it really well, and there are artists who take the price too far, and we try not to do that.”

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The concert experience is a constantly changing entity. Just a few years ago, it wasn’t uncommon for fans to wait for hours outside of a venue for their chance to catch a glimpse of or snap a quick picture with their favorite artists, but with inexpensive VIP experiences at their fingertips, it’s no surprise that these packages nearly sell out on every tour. Sound Rink gives both fans and artists a chance to have one-on-one time with one another, all while providing fans with exclusive merchandise and bands a little extra money while out on the road. It’s a win-win situation, and it seems that many people are taking notice. And for anyone who hasn’t yet? Delong insists, “If anybody really wants to try it out and go meet a band, I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed.”

FACEBOOK: /soundrink TWITTER: @SoundRink

SLAYER

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NATE RUESS

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TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH

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THY ART IS MURDER

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Photo: Nick Reece

ITS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND,

and what better way to kick off summer than spending it at one of America’s oldest beach towns: Virginia Beach. While I’m down at the beach, I’m going to be checking out Terror, Four Year Strong and The Story So Far. Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach is included in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Virginia Beach is a resort city with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels, motels, and restaurants along its oceanfront. Every year the city hosts the East Coast Surfing Championships as well as the North American Sand Soccer Championship, a beach soccer tournament. The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world. It is located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the longest bridge-tunnel complex in the world.

Now that I told you some facts you can find basically anywhere on the Internet, let me take you on a tour of Virginia Beach and neighboring Norfolk. Both towns have a rich

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history with the U.S. Navy and Naval Station Norfolk is the world’s largest naval station, supporting 75 ships and 134 aircraft alongside 14 piers and 11 aircraft hangars, and houses the largest concentration of U.S. Navy forces. Port Services controls more than 3,100 ships’ movements annually as they arrive and depart their berths. Again more facts, but if you’re lucky enough to be on the beach when one of these ships is departing, it’s a rather breathtaking sight to see. Naval Station Norfolk also offers tours to the public.

Norfolk is also the home of the Norfolk Tides, a minor league baseball team, which is affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles. What better way to celebrate America on Memorial Day weekend than with America’s pastime? Most people don’t realize it but there are 160 minor league baseball teams playing all summer long. 159 minor league teams play in America; the one playing in Canada are the Vancouver Canadians who are associated with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 159 are spread out through 42 states and 25 of those states don’t even have a major league club, so if you’re ever looking for some cheap fun, I promise you, you’re closer to

The Story So Far, Four Year Strong and Terror in

Virginia Beach PHOTOS & STORY: Kevin Menendez

a minor league team than you think. The 160 teams are broken down into six classifications the lowest being Rookie and the highest being Triple A. The Tides play in Triple A, so in all likelihood I got a chance to watch some future pros, and it was fireworks night and who doesn’t love fireworks? The stadium the Tides play at is Harbor Park, which sits on the Elizabeth River in Norfolk. The stadium opened in 1993, and was once voted the best stadium in all of minor league baseball, probably due to its nice view of the river and boats passing by. I got to witness a game full of great pitching on both sides with the Tides eventually winning 2-1 beating the Rochester Red Wings, and then it was time for some fireworks.

Now if you’re on the beach, which you should be, you’re never going to be too far from a beachfront bar or cafe to grab a cool drink and bite to eat. I started around 18th street and worked my way down to 31st street, stopping at about five bars along the way and having a rum runner at each. (Rum runners are damn delicious.) I honestly do not remember any names of the bars, but what I do remember is the massive 31 foot bronze statue of Poseidon. The statue

sits on the boardwalk at 31st street at Neptune Park, which is known for holding the annual Neptune Festival and Boardwalk Art Show. The statue was sculpted by Paul DiPasquale and was dedicated to the city in September 2005 during the Neptune Festival. For your nighttime enjoyment, though, I would recommend Calypso Bar and Grill - great food, good drinks, live music and a dance floor. It’s open late and has some of the best staff around. You honestly cannot go wrong along the beachfront with so many options.

The concert was at Peabody’s Nightclub, which featured a bikini contest the night before, that my crew and I sadly missed. The venue itself is nice and big, multiple bars, a helpful staff and good security that kept everyone safe all night. My brother, who was with me, actually lost his phone during the night and he was able to get it back.

Up first were the hardcore legends from Los Angeles: Terror. They opened up with a new song called “The 25th Hour,” off their upcoming album, their sixth album with the same title. The crowd went insane, jumping off of anything THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM | 39

and everything, and literally hanging from the ceiling the entire time. At one point, vocalist Scott Vogel jumped into the crowd to sing with the fans. They put more energy into their thirty-minute set than most bands put into their sixty-minute set. They ripped through songs like “One With the Underdog” and closed with “Keepers of the Faith.” Terror showed up and showed everyone why they’re hardcore legends.

Next was Four Year Strong, another band with an album to drop in the coming weeks of this show. The pop-punk band came out and ripped right into their song called “What the Hell is a Gigawatt?” At this point, the crowd seemed to have double in size and intensity. They got warmed up during Terror and didn’t stop afterwards. There was constant crowd surfing, head walking, hanging from the ceiling and everyone kept the person next to them safe. Four Year Strong’s new self-titled album features the song, “We All Float Down Here,” which was a big hit with the crowd. This crowd, by the way, was relentless all night. FYS did not disappoint as their energy level stepped up, and they were feeding off of the crowd during the entire duration of their set. By the time they played their finale, “Wasting Time (Eternal Summer),” a sweaty crowd was still going at full speed, and they were left craving more and wanting more, and more was on the way in the form of The Story So Far. As for Four Year Strong, they out on a great set and one that I won’t soon be forgetting.

Up last was the headliner: The Story So Far from Walnut Creek, California. Sticking with the theme of the evening, The Story So Far came out on the heels of their recently released self-titled album. They came out to an older song, “Quicksand,” off their first album and the already wild crowd, which was still in a frenzy from the first two acts, showed no signs of slowing down. The crowd responded well to the new songs and sang along in unison to the old ones, practically giving vocalist Parker Cannon the night off. TSSF played for over an hour and the night ended with long merch lines and an exhausted crowd that just got their asses kicked by three incredibly impressive bands during a flawless night.

The best part of The Story So Far’s set that stood out most to me is how inviting they were to the crowd. The band seems to have a reputation of being very hardcore on stage, but they came off as very genuine and welcoming to a crowd that was giving them much love throughout the night. By the time the band finished with the song, “High Regard,” they and the crowd were still going full speed, and it couldn’t have been a more fitting way to end the night. This was definitely the perfect way to kick off summer. Damn, I love America!

All Inclusive is a segment for the avid concert goer by an avid concert goer. Follow Kevin’s stories and wild adventures across North America in each issue of The Prelude Press as well as on twitter and instagram (@juicemenendez) 40 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM

Photo: Shannon Shumaker THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM | 41

ALBUM REVIEWS ARTIST: Senses Fail RATING: 4.5/5

ALBUM: Pull The Thorns From Your Heart LISTEN TO: “Pull The Thorns From Your Heart” rang out. It made us feel less ashamed of our own depression and anxiety. It allowed us to really feel ourselves there in that depravity, trudging around in its vapid abyss. In truth, those older songs may have helped us understand ourselves just a little bit more clearly. We can certainly cherish what he gave us, but we must also remember that he is a person. No one could have expected that kind of emotional torture to carry on forever.

The Let it Enfold You and Still Searching Senses Fail is gone, folks. History. Two great albums, spewing raw energy and angst, assaulting the emotional psyche of anyone caught in their bone-crushing shockwaves—that band has moved on, in a new but very interesting direction.

All of the fans who have stuck with the band for all these years know it. It happened in 2010 with The Fire. Senses Fail always had an edge to them, but no one foresaw it boiling over like it did with that album. Since then, the band has just continued to step up the energy with each new release.

There are some who first jumped onto the Senses Fail bandwagon back in the band’s early days thinking that this was another good pop-punk band, on the same playlist as New Found Glory and Yellowcard. Those very people will hear the band’s new album Pull the Thorns From Your Heart and probably hate it. Absolutely nowhere in the album will you find the same sing-song melody like the verse from “Calling All Cars” or the cheerful pop in the line, “So let’s play doctor, Babe!” from “Buried a Lie.”

There is another group of casual fans who will gag once they hear singer Buddy Nielsen spout lines like “There is so much beauty in being brave / I learned how to love myself” (from the new album’s title track). So many of Senses Fail’s fans loved Nielsen’s brutally depressing lyrics. Clearly, there were so many wounds inside of the vocalist, and it felt to listeners like he was pulling them apart even further every second his voice

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For those that don’t know, Nielsen recently posted an interview on his web page in which he opens up about all of the unhealthy, tormenting aspects of his life that have plagued him over his entire career as the vocalist of Senses Fail, including problems with alcohol and anxiety, and confusion over his sexuality. Listening to him speak, one will firstly be shocked by all of the baggage that this man carried for so long, but will also be astounded by the ease with which the singer speaks about all of it. It comes across very clear that, while one could never completely resolve problems like these, Nielsen is at least coming to understand himself and his feelings more fully, and has begun to see the light shining out from the other end of the rabbit hole. He carries this new perspective with him into the songs of Pull the Thorns From Your Heart. It takes a bit of an adjustment at first to hear the new approach to the lyrics, but after a few songs one realizes that though the attitude is different, the music still carries the same energy and passion that it always has.

One cannot simply equate new Senses Fail and old Senses Fail. These are much different musicians and people than they were ten years ago and it certainly shows in their new album, which is nothing like any of their others. There is a more introspective aspect to their lyrics. There are more experimental melodies and tones coming from the instrumentation.

There is more allusion to hardcore punk and even metal than before. We knew based off of previous releases and Buddy’s interview that something that sounded like this was coming, and yet it still hits you with force and surprise. You don’t expect the chime-like guitar tones or the mutterings over the verse of “Wounds.” You don’t even expect the hysterical eruption at the end of the final track, “My Fear of an Unlived Life,” and it almost makes you crazy because how could you have not known that these guys were going to weaken the boundary between music and emotion yet again? We knew something like this was coming, and yet Pull the Thorns From Your Heart completely turns your head around, giving you something unlike anything you have heard before.

Whether you look at it as the highest point in the evolution of Senses Fail, or as something totally disparate from the other releases, it is clear that this is a very special album for the group and their fans.

REVIEW: Seth Wood

ARTIST: Sorority Noise RATING: 5/5

ALBUM: Joy, Departed LISTEN TO: “Using”

Sorority Noise’s second full-length record, Joy, Departed, is one of the greatest emo records I have listened to in a long while. Joy, Departed is the first Release from Sorority Noise through Topshelf Records, and this will add to the several of amazing releases that this label has been a part of. To be honest, I was a little hesitant to listen to this record at first because of the lineup change that the band went through earlier this year. I couldn’t help but wonder if adding Charlie Singer on drums for Sorority Noise would make the band sound similar to Old Gray because both Charlie and vocalist Cameron Boucher are currently in Old Gray as well, but my thoughts were completely wrong.

Joy, Departed starts off with a slow and sad song, “Blissth”. This song really sets the whole mood for the album, hence why this is an amazing emo record. Cameron Boucher really delivers in his vocals, adding real emotions, making you feel just how he does. The next track, “Corrigan”, is one of the few more musically upbeat songs on the album. This song reminded me a lot of songs on Sorority Noise’s first release - catchy and fun, but with heartfelt, emotional lyrics that are easy to connect with. Another killer thing about this track are the guest vocals from vocalist Brendan Lukens of Modern Baseball. “Corrigan” immediately stuck out to me the first time listening to the album and is one of my favorites on the record. Another stand out track is “Using”. This is the third to last song on Joy, Departed. “Using,” yet again, is super relatable in the aspect of temptation and breaking habits and addictions. This song is lyrically superb and dark but musically.

The track listing on the record is good, but with just about every track I feel like the songs alternate from slower tempo to upbeat and catchy. There is nothing wrong with this, but it is something that I noticed right away and I feel that some of the songs could have been placed differently for a lot more of an emotional impact for the listener.

Additionally, the first time I listened to the record, I thought it was abnormally slow and not quite as “fun” compared to Sorority Noise’s previous releases. It took me a couple of times through the album to really fully appreciate that the band had grown and matured, but I’m glad that they have. Though there are a quite a bit of slower songs on the record, I have grown to love every track. Its awesome to see elements of the band growing but also keeping that original spark that Sorority Noise has already found.

Joy, Departed is an amazing album. Though it took a while for the album to grow on me, ultimately, this album is great due to the instruments matching emotions and Cameron’s true, passionate vocals. This album is killer and surpassed any expectations that I had.

I am very excited to see what Sorority Noise will do after the release of Joy, Departed.

REVIEW: Dillon Crader

ARTIST: Jule Vera RATING: 4.5/5

ALBUM: Friendly Enemies LISTEN TO: “Chemical Machine” or “One Little String”

Jule Vera is destined to be the breakout band this year at The Vans Warped Tour. Don’t believe me?

Just give their new EP, Friendly Enemies a listen. Opening up with a minute long haunting track, Jule Vera know just how to build anticipation and entrance their listener before “Chemical Machine” comes in and completely blows you away.

With very disciplined vocals that also still manage to sound like honey on this catchy opening track, it’s hard to believe that frontwoman Ansley Newman is barely eighteen. It seems that Jule Vera are following in the footsteps of Warped veterans and young female-fronted band Echosmith, and comparing the two definitely isn’t a bad thing. There’s a sense of youthfulness in many of these songs, especially the single “One Little String,” that is poppy and easy to listen to, but also a serious darkness in “Chemical Machine,” or “Die Trying,” which comes later in the EP.

Friendly Enemies is upbeat and lighthearted, but still with plenty of soul, and the proof of that comes in the soon to be hit track “One Little String.” It’s impossible not to fall in love with the catchy, poppy chorus. I feel like this is a song that virtually anyone can like, and again, it’s carried by a youthful lightheartedness that is very easy to listen to.

As I said, though, Jule Vera aren’t one dimensional. Following the poppy and lighthearted “One Little String” is “Die Trying,” which shows a completely different side of the band, both musically and lyrically. While “Die Trying” is undeniably catchy, the lyrical content is much more serious and heavy than many of the other songs on the EP. The same can be said for “Scarlet Letter.”

The EP’s title track changes the mood once again with a darker sound, carried heavily by bass and haunting vocals. Production-wise, this song is huge and explosive, differing quite a bit from the rest of the album, showing yet another side of this band.

Only eight songs in length, Friendly Enemies is like a Jule Vera taste test. Starting off and ending the album with rather upbeat, lighthearted and poppy tracks, it’s easy to feel that you have this group figured out before they come in with darker, more serious songs and change things up. Jule Vera’s new EP is multidimensional, fun to listen to, and makes me even more excited to see them for the first time this year at Warped Tour.

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ARTIST: BoyMeetsWorld RATING: 5/5

ALBUM: Become Someone LISTEN TO: “So In What?” or “Become Someone”

BoyMeetsWorld’s debut full-length album, Become Someone is about just that - becoming someone.

The underlying themes of finding oneself and searching for happiness are apparent from the very first song on the album all the way to the very end, and are served with catchy pop-punk anthems that are just in time for summer.

of the album.

Become Someone is catchy and memorable right off the bat as vocalist Craig Sulken sings, “Let’s make these nights a little longer/Cause we’re not getting any younger” in the opening track, “Feel It In The Air.” These songs just scream summer as the album chugs along with one upbeat poppy track after another. “So In What?” for instance, is destined to be a huge hit this year on the Vans Warped Tour - it’s got gorgeous high vocals that hook you, a memorable and emotional chorus, and a lead guitar riff that just won’t let go.

“So In What?” is bound to get stuck in your head and leave you singing along before the song comes to a close, and feeling excited all over again when you reach the bonus acoustic version of the track at the end

There are many things that make Become Someone as strong and as memorable as it is, and the honesty in the album’s lyricism is definitely one of those things. Pop-punk is a genre that is known to be emotional and personal, and Become Someone is definitely the best of both of those things. “Moving On,” for instance is about leaving behind a dead end job and finding yourself, reminding you of the core themes behind Become Someone. The song itself is very positive and empowering, especially right alongside a more upbeat and lighter song, “Rest Of Our Days,” which actually hosts some really great gang vocals, by the way. I’m not kidding when I say that every song on this album is well worth listening to. With each track that goes by, I can’t help but think I’ve heard the strongest song on the album, only for the next track to completely blow me away.

“You I Belong To,” breaks the mold, trading upbeat choruses and catchy guitar riffs for an acoustic guitar and softer vocals, and the result couldn’t be better. The vocal work totally shines on this stripped down acoustic love song, which proves that BoyMeetsWorld are definitely dynamic - they can pull of the big, anthematic pop choruses, but still shine on a simple acoustic track. The band really shines on the album’s title (and final) track, though. “Become Someone” naturally encompases the entire theme of the album on top of shining musically, with a beautiful, emotional chorus that is sure to have you pressing play all over again once it comes to a close. The song and album as a whole really come to a head when Sulken sings, “I’ve given up everything for this/So I’ve got nothing left to lose,” which is easily one of the strongest lines on the album.

Become Someone, at its core is just pure pop-punk goodness. This album isn’t trying to be anything that it’s not, and the result is eleven incredibly comfortable sounding songs that will stick with listeners for a long time to come. There are catchy guitar hooks, upbeat verses and memorable, melodic choruses peppered throughout the entire album, but none of it ever feels forced or redundant. On top of that, the overall theme of the album is very relevant and timeless, something that listeners are sure to connect with and relate to for years. At risk of sounding a little cheesy, I mean it when I say that BoyMeetsWorld have definitely “become someone” with this release.

REVIEW: Shannon Shumaker

ARTIST: Koji RATING: 4/5

ALBUM: Fury LISTEN TO: “Fury”

The well-known acoustic artist, Koji comes out swinging with his new EP Fury. This is the first time I have ever listened to Koji, and my first thought when listening to Fury was that I was blown away by the full “band” aspect. I was expecting a four song acoustic release that wouldn’t be too exciting.

The first song, the title track, opens up with a stellar catchy guitar riff that instantly hooks you in. The song is pulled together so beautifully to make the lead guitar the focal point, and it is very elegant. I expected Koji’s voice to sound a lot differently then the vocals that are delivered on the EP. The vocals are so subtle and add a smooth feeling to this song and the EP as a whole. The next track “Breaking and Broken” yet again starts off with an amazing guitar riff. This song delivers, just like the first. The build up to the ending vocals is phenomenal, giving a nice humbling feeling with his voice and the soothing but yet killer guitar.

The third track on the EP, “Everyday,” I felt was one of the weaker songs on Fury. I did not get that amazing vibe from this song that I got on the first two tracks and the last track on the EP, “Question.” The song does have some sweet elements to it though, specifically the drums. The soft drums leading into the verse on “Everyday” give a very cool feeling to the song. I think this song just lacks is the lyricism that makes the other songs strong. The last track, “Question,” starts off with that same subtle and pretty guitar work that instantly hooked me in the beginning. I guess you could say I am a sucker for the sound and tone of the guitar on this EP, and I think Koji delivers on the guitar for all of the tracks. I hope Koji continues to produce these outstanding guitars on later releases.

Overall, Fury is a solid release for a smaller EP. I was very intrigued by the full band on this EP and instantly reminded of something similar to what Into It. Over It. does with the full band. I hope to hear stuff a lot more similar to Fury and see Koji grow from this release.

REVIEW: Dillon Crader

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ARTIST: Old Best Friend RATING: 4/5

ALBUM: Living Alone LISTEN TO: “Living Alone” or “King Of Nowhere”

Living Alone is the definition of an honest album. Full of nostalgia, fear, loss, regret and just about every other emotion you can think of, Old Best Friend’s Mike Comite has created a very relatable album simply because these are songs that anyone can relate to.

Beginning strong vocally, Living Alone kicks off with “Cold Came With,” an emotional burst of energy that starts the album off right. You can practically touch the soul and emotion in Comite’s voice, especially in the a capella opening, and when the full band comes in, the song transitions into a hopeful anthem.

“Pretty Sure” is another catchy, upbeat track with emotional lyricism, but it isn’t until the title track (which also happens to be the third song on the album) that you really get a feel for what Old Best Friend is all about.

While the first two songs are masked by upbeat poppiness and catchy choruses, “Living Alone” is more open and raw, and it definitely sets the tone for the remaining eight songs on the album. On top of the strong lyricism (lines like “Open your eyes, I know you close them when you sing,” and “Forget the audience, there’s only me,” are some standouts) the vocal harmonies are beautiful. And while instrumentally, the song is rather simple, it compliments the message well, proving that Comite doesn’t need any gimmicks to get his point across.

While “Living Alone” is slower and full of emotion, the following song “King of Nowhere” feels like a total summer jam. A little more lighthearted, “King of Nowhere” is upbeat and easy to listen to with catchy, memorable vocal melodies, proving that while much of the subject matter on this album is on the serious side, not every song has to be a sad ballad. The following song, “Conductivity” is another good example of this. The lyricism in the song is longing and frustrated, and the instrumentation directly reflects that with high energy and strong guitar hooks.

To be honest, the only downside of all of the different emotions on this album is in the sometimes drastic mood changes in between songs. A good example of this comes between “Conductivity” and “Pause,” which is another slow, emotionally driven song. The transition between these high energy tracks and the slower ones can be a little rocky at times, but once Comite starts singing, it’s thankfully pretty easy to forget about that and immerse yourself in his world once more. Easily the best part about Living Alone is the honesty in the lyricism, making it very easy to relate and connect with these songs. Living Alone is very real and self-aware, and on top of the catchiness of many of these songs, it’s an incredible listen.

REVIEW: Dom Vigil

ARTIST: Anthony Raneri RATING: 4/5

ALBUM: Sorry State Of Mind LISTEN TO: “No Good”

Whether you’re a fan of Bayside or (somehow) just hearing Anthony Raneri’s voice for the first time, it’s no surprise that his new solo EP Sorry State of Mind is a total hit. Raneri’s voice is commanding right from the very beginning of the opening song, “Smithereens.” With soft guitar picking and jaw dropping harmonies, Raneri manages to hook you with only a minute long intro, leaving a lot of promise for the rest of this EP.

It’s hard not to compare the Bayside singer’s solo work to the band, but Raneri makes it somewhat easier to set the two apart when the chorus of the second song, “Gone,” finally comes in. Carried by strong synth and distorted vocals, “Gone,” actually sounds nothing like Bayside, which is a pleasant surprise. The only downside on this second track is in the over-produced sounding vocals toward the end of the chorus.

There’s a lot going on in “Gone,” especially in the chorus, and unfortunately, it takes away from Raneri’s vocals, which started off incredibly strong in “Smithereens.” The quieter moments in “Gone” shine, though, and thankfully, Raneri plays off of those strengths for the rest of the EP.

“No Good” is a beautiful, heartbreaking ballad, and completely on the opposite end of the musical spectrum from “Gone.” This third song seems to go back to the roots that Raneri planted in the first song. The strongest part about “No Good” is definitely found in the emotional lyricism and raw vocals as Raneri sings, “Someday you’re gonna meet the man of your dreams/And I can say that it isn’t me/Cause I’m no good for you.”

The EP’s title track takes you on yet another journey, as again, it sounds different from the songs preceding it. “Sorry State of Mind” is on the more folk side of things which is a perfect fit for Raneri’s vocals, proving yet again that he shines more on the broken down and raw songs. “I Never Want To Fix Myself Again” is a mesh of the sounds found on “Gone” and “Sorry State of Mind,” with a full band, acoustic guitar and added synth. And then, closing out the EP is another acoustic track, “Run and Stumble.”

Anthony Raneri doesn’t play it safe on his sophomore solo effort, and for the most part, it pays off. The acoustic tracks give Raneri’s voice a chance to shine in raw vocal melodies and emotional lyrics, and the full band songs carried by synth are more on the catchy side, delivering more than most solo albums hope to. The only downsides are really in the overproduced moments that come few and far between. As a whole, this EP is a success, one that Bayside fans and new listeners alike are bound to enjoy.

REVIEW: Shannon Shumaker THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM | 45

ARTIST: This Is All Now RATING: 5/5

ALBUM: Homecoming LISTEN TO: “#TEAM”

On the surface, This Is All Now’s new Homecoming EP is just like any other catchy pop-punk album. With strong guitar hooks and simple lines like “Get down with my friends,” in the opening track, “#TEAM” Homecoming threatens to be just another lighthearted and shallow summer EP, but it’s not very hard to dig a little deeper and realize that This Is All Now know exactly what they’re doing. Much of Homecoming is upbeat with rather simple lyrics that are only strengthened by catchy melodies and hard hitting guitar hooks that all come together to make six very memorable songs.

To be honest, “#TEAM” couldn’t be a more perfect opening track. Obviously about having fun with your friends, the lyrics aren’t very hard to understand or decipher, making it easy to focus on the music instead. “#TEAM” isn’t necessarily the deepest or most insightful song, but by the time the catchy as hell chorus comes in, I can guarantee that you won’t care about that. And like I said, This Is All Now’s songwriting is anything but shallow or vapid. If the insanely catchy and memorable chorus of “#TEAM” isn’t enough for you, then the incredible key change toward the end of the song will be. The key change takes you by surprise and shows that This Is All Now is an incredibly talented group of musicians. By the time “#TEAM” fades into “Midnight Kids,” it’s apparent that This Is All Now know how to write summer anthems, and they’re damn good at it.

“Midnight Kids” is another high energy party track, but again, there’s much more to the song than its easy going lyricism and catchiness, as the horn accidents totally make the song. Throughout “Midnight Kids” (and honestly the entire EP) there are these awesome little moments in the songwriting that remind you how talented this group is. “24 Hour Nights,” which features a guest vocal spot from Jason Lancaster is strong because of its orchestral elements. The song is also a great example of strong guest vocals that don’t overpower the song, but rather add to it.

Every song on Homecoming has a very big, anthematic feel, but they all also have their own significant sound. “#TEAM” and “Midnight Kids,” are more party tracks, while “24 Hour Nights,” slows things down with some more serious lyricism, and “Voices” is a huge, stadium ready anthem. “Voices” is actually a really great stand out track, as it is carried more by strong drums and vocals, while most of the songs on the EP are carried heavily by catchy melodies and guitar work. “Voices” is a very proud and positive track, and it only seems to get bigger and bigger as it goes on, with some orchestral elements that only make it sound bigger. On top of that, “Voices” hosts easily some of the strongest and more serious lyricism on the album, with hard-hitting lines such as “We will fight to survive in a world where no one is listening.”

Following “Voices” is the stripped down and serious title track. Easily the heaviest song lyrically, “Homecoming” only goes to show This Is All Now’s versatility. The way that this album progresses is actually quite remarkable, going from catchy party tracks to positive, uplifting anthems to “Homecoming,” with a somber chorus of “Maybe I’m better off alone,” that makes your heart ache.

It’s virtually impossible to find one single flaw on This Is All Now’s Homecoming EP. With six songs that all flow well but also each have their own significant sound, Homecoming is an emotional and musical roller coaster, and by the time it comes to an end with the high energy and poppy bonus track, “Supernova,” you’ll be more than ready to go another round.

REVIEW: Dom Vigil

ARTIST: Run Forever RATING: 5/5

ALBUM: Big Vacation LISTEN TO: “Lake Pleasant”

Big Vacation is one of the better ways to spend your summer; listening to something powerful. Run Forever has conquered this release, making something that sounds perfect for the summer. Being one of the first releases Run Forever has put out through No Sleep Records, it is obvious that they have already progressed and changed their sound from their first release on the label.

The first noticeable thing about Big Vacation is the new low-fi and hazy sound the band has captured ever since they have quieted down over the past two years. Usually, hazy and low-fi genres are very hard to listen to in the summer because the weather is so nice, and the music is dark and would fit better for seasons like fall and winter. But like I said, Big Vacation fits the summer weather very well. The EP’s self-titled track has the perfect blend of the hazy guitar towards the end of the song, creating an amazing sound.

The second song on Big Vacation is definitely my favorite track on this release, though. The track, “Lake Pleasant,” has hints of the band’s older roots, but yet again includes this fresh sounding mix of haze that the band seems so fond of now. I would also like to mention the growth in lyricism within the this release. Anthony Heubel’s lyrics on Big Vacation have improved to a more meaningful and mature sound as well. “Crystal Court,” the last song on the EP, is definitely the catchiest and contains the most hooks with sweet sounding melodies.

It is fantastic to hear new material coming from Run Forever, and it is awesome to see the band heading in a new direction that suites the them perfectly. Run Forever is doing something they should have always done with this release, and it is awesome to slowly see them grow and mature into something diverse and special. Big Vacation is definitely my favorite release for the summer so far. I am very excited to see what the band will do after Big Vacation.

REVIEW: Dillon Crader 46 | THEPRELUDEPRESS.COM

ARTIST: Four Year Strong RATING: 5/5

ALBUM: Four Year Strong LISTEN TO: “We All Float Down Here” aggressive summer anthems like the final track, “Go Down In History,” they also excel at softer pop-punk songs like “Eating My Words,” which hosts some really great vocal harmonies between Dan O’Connor and Alan Day.

There really isn’t one weak link on this album. Trust me, I tried to find one, and instead, kept falling in love with each and every track that Four Year Strong threw at me. There are obviously some standout songs, though, one being “Wipe Yourself Off, Man. You Dead,” which is another upbeat poppy track. The best part about it, though, is that the song still has that classic Four Year Strong sound crunchy guitars, strong lead riffs, a catchy drum beat and dueling vocals that urge you to sing along. “Wipe Yourself Off, Man. You Dead,” is the perfect example of a band expanding on their sound and doing it right. While it does differ from the band’s old material, the difference isn’t night and day, but at the same time, it’s not so similar that it becomes boring.

Four Year Strong just seem to get better and better with each new release, and their new self-titled full length is no exception. Only a few songs into the album, it’s apparent that Four Year Strong’s sound has grown with this release, and in the best way possible. This album isn’t necessarily a drastic change from their EP Go Down In History, released last summer, but rather a natural progression that is sure to hold fans over until whatever this band decides to do next.

The first three songs on Four Year Strong kick the album off right, easing you into a slightly poppier sound from the band, but definitely not anything too easygoing or soft compared to their old material. “I Hold Myself In Contempt” is on the more melodic side, but it still holds a hard hitting chorus that (any fan will tell you) makes a strong Four Year Strong song. The second song, “We All Float Down Here” wastes no time in picking up the pace. Right off the bat, the song is carried by a strong drumbeat and aggressive vocals, and as the song progresses, it becomes apparent that it is literally impossible for Four Year Strong to write something that doesn’t make you want to get up and move. The chorus of “We All Float Down Here” is catchy, carried by that same strong drum work from the beginning and surrounded by hard hitting verses and breakdowns. Then comes “Eating My Words,” which is poppy as hell and even more catchy compared to the hard hitting “We All Float Down Here.” The progression is much needed, and serves to showcase Four Year Strong’s versatility. While this band really does shine on

“Stolen Credit Card!” kicks the energy back up and then some. While the song starts off slow, it comes in quick with fast paced guitar and drum work coupled with aggressive vocals. The song quickly becomes one of the strongest on the album due to the great vocal harmonies and catchy “woah”s in the chorus. Another strong track is the heavily punk influenced, “Who Cares,” which is a one minute and fifty-five second whirlwind, making it the shortest song on the album. “I’m a Big, Bright, Shining Star” is the strong single in the second half of the album, full of great singalong parts, gang vocals, intricate guitar work and a melody that is sure to get stuck in your head. Following “I’m a Big, Bright Shining Star” is “The Sound Of Your Heart,” which slows things down nicely before the album rounds out with the band’s previously released anthem, “Go Down In History.”

Carried by catchy, strong guitar riffs, memorable and melodic choruses and breakdowns that pack a punch, this album takes that trademark Four Year Strong sound to a whole new level. Every song feels like a natural progression and serves its own purpose on the album - none of them feel unnecessary or out of place, making it incredibly hard to choose just one favorite. Four Year Strong’s self-titled release is ambitious, catchy and is sure to become the album of the summer.

REVIEW: Shannon Shumaker

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STAFF PICKS

BEST WARPED TOUR JAMS SONGS TO GET YOU EXCITED FOR THIS YEAR’S VANS WARPED TOUR YELLOWCARD - “OCEAN AVENUE” Picked by Gabrielle DB This song reminds me of Warped Tour and Summer in general. Yellowcard played at the first Warped Tour that I ever attended, and the crowd went wild for “Ocean Avenue.” The young carelessness of this song is so fun; released over a decade ago, it is timeless.

TRANSIT - “LONG LOST FRIENDS” Picked by Dillon Crader This year isn’t Transit’s first year on the Vans Warped Tour, so I feel like this song definitely deserves to be a Warped Tour anthem. They’re Warped veterans whose following seems to get bigger each year, so it only makes sense.

BLINK 182 - “THE ROCK SHOW” Picked by Dom Vigil Do I even really need to explain why Blink 182’s “The Rock Show” is on this list? I mean, just listen to the song and try to tell me it doesn’t make you feel like you’re fifteen (if you’re like me, and you aren’t) and get you stoked for “the summer and the Warped Tour.”

THURSDAY - “STANDING ON THE EDGE OF SUMMER” Picked by Shannon Shumaker This pick is totally biased, because Thursday was the band I was most excited to see at my very first Warped Tour nearly ten years ago. I chose “Standing On The Edge Of Summer” instead of obvious favorites like “Understanding In A Car Crash” or “War All The Time” because of the song itself. Besides the fact that Thursday will always remind me of my first Warped Tour, this son just screams summer nights.

MOOSE BLOOD - “GUM” Picked by Dillon Crader Moose Blood are the only Warped Tour Newbies on this list, and listening to “Gum” (or any of their songs, really) is enough to make me even more excited to see them for the first time at Warped Tour.

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SMASH MOUTH Photo: Svetlana Joukova

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