Warped Tour Pomona 2011: Preview

So tomorrow is the day Warped Tour makes its way to Pomona. Yesterday we offered up some survival tips, but today we would like to offer up some music tips. There are not as many huge names playing Pomona this year, but that doesn't mean that there aren't more great bands playing than you can possibly squeeze into one day. The key is to print out a list of all the bands playing ahead of time, highlighting the ones you are most interested in. Yes, there is the giant blow up board once you get there, but it is always hard to read and by the time you are through the gates you are already missing bands, so it is best to be prepared. Last year they finally got smart and offered printed schedules for a couple of bucks near the entry way. Buy one and save yourself the headache of the big board.

You already know the big names, but there are a few key bands to check out. Tomorrow marks the return of Black Veil Brides to the Warped lineup after frontman Andy Biersack spent the first few dates of Warped still recovering from the broken ribs he suffered at a record release show in LA. If you have never seen this band live, do not miss it. And if you randomly think you will hate them because of the makeup and costumes, give them at least a few songs to prove you wrong. If you don't like it, there will be other bands to move on to.

Go Radio: A band that is impossible to see too many times. Frontman Jason Lancaster is possibly one of the best songwriters on this tour.  If you don't know the history, then just know that if you like Mayday Parade you will like them.

Enter Shikari is undoubtedly going to get very crazy and rough, but are great live.

Sharks are another UK band we are quite looking forward to seeing.

Larry & His Flask have come highly recommended and have toured with Dropkick which is a good enough recommendation all on its own.

New Years Day is a great local band who should have been way more famous by now. They played Warped years ago and just killed it, so be sure to check them out.

Of Mice & Men: Austin is back, and its great to see Shayley living the dream.

The Wonder Years: Two excellent records pop punk records back to back....need I say more.

We Came As Romans: Just got fascinating back story from their pr agent. Worth checking out.

There For Tomorrow: Saw them at Bamboozle in Jersey a couple years ago....good band.

So the moral of the story is go see at least a few bands you don't already know. If you don't like them, you can move on to someone else. There are lots of things to do. Many of the biggest names in music have graced the stages of Warped Tour, and many of them did it long before they were famous so it is worth checking out someone new.


 

Your Personal Warped Tour 2011 Tip Sheet

If you have been to the show before, then you have probably learned much of what you need to know firsthand. If you haven’t been before, I have assembled a few tips to help you. While some are directed specifically at those of you joining us on Friday in Pomona, most of this information will apply all summer.

Bring water - It will quite likely be hotter than the surface of the sun.

Bring money for more water - See above….I really mean it. If you are short on funds then please have your parents read this article so that they know a responsible adult is begging them to throw an extra $20 your way with the promise that you will use it to stay hydrated. If you get overheated anyway, ask anyone who is working the show to direct you to the medical tent. Everyone knows where it is.

Bring money - If you have some cash beyond the aforementioned necessity of hydration then by all means bring it. Warped Tour is a great place to pick up reasonably priced band merch including tshirts, pins, etc. It is also a great place to beef up your cd collection. Fearless Records is known for always having their releases available super cheap at Warped, and a lot of other labels and bands purposely keep their prices low for Warped shows because they know you have limited funds - with notable exceptions of course.

Peruse the charities - Besides having a multitude of musical choices all day, be sure to take time to check out charity row. Charities are at Warped because they genuinely want to meet you and tell you about what they do and how you can become involved. These people do seriously good work. One charity to be sure to visit is the Dear Jack/11:11 AM booth (yes, there is a tie in to the tattoo on my arm).

Meet the bands - Many of the bands will have signings throughout the day. Depending on who it is, the lines will vary in length. Be warned that at times the bands can be late due to press obligations.

Wear sunscreen - please see the above mention of temperatures approaching the surface of the sun in case you need reminding.

Pay attention to who is walking around - This is So Cal people. Lots of bands either live here or are recording here. You are therefore likely to see a number of musicians walking around that are not on the bill, but rather came to see some sets and hangout with old friends. Also, this is not an event with an us vs. them mentality. Lots of the bands playing will be randomly walking around before and after their sets so keep your eyes open….you never know who may be standing next to you.

Enter the pits at your own risk - This should not be news, but on a hot day,. -pressing a bunch of bodies together and pushing towards the stage gets unreasonably hot and uncomfortable. People crowd surf. People will mosh. People will tend to get hurt in the mosh pits….I see broken bones every year. If you are going to do these things consider yourself warned. There are however, plenty of opportunities to watch the show slightly back or to the side of the stage. You get a great view and don’t have to deal with these issues. As far as sound goes, straight back from the stage near the booth will get the best sound.

Discover a new band - I am sick and tired of hearing everyone complain that there are not enough ‘headliner’ bands. That’s okay. You get plenty of chances to see bands that are already famous touring through town. A big part of the fun of Warped Tour is to check out the smaller stages and discover a new band that you might like who maybe aren’t well established enough to tour through your town every few months.

Lastly, be nice...both to other people and the bands. The bands are going to a great deal of trouble to put on the show, so if you are not into a band, go see a different band. Don't boo, yell obnoxious things, throw things, or just stand there and bitch about how much you hate the band. There are tons of other things happening. Go somewhere else. If people fall in crowds or mosh pits, pick them up. If you are participating in a mosh pit, then by all means have fun, but that doesn't mean deliberately injuring other people....get a clue. If you are going to crowd surf (and I really wish you wouldn't unless you are trying to escape from the center of the crowd due to becoming overwhelmed by heat) then please don't flail around and kick people in the face, and if you are trying to surf toward the stage please wait until after the first three songs so the photographers can get the heck out of the way first. If you are in the 21+ crowd, please remember that beer + heat + crowd becomes overwhelming very quickly and I am incredibly tired of watching people throw up.

This concludes your 2011 tip sheet.
photos from Warped Tour Pomona 2010

Drive A Confirmed for the Rock Allegiance Tour

For Immediate Release

DRIVE A

CONFIRMED FOR ROCK ALLEGIANCE TOUR

WITH BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH, PUDDLE OF MUD, P.O.D., RED, CROSSFADE

TOUR RUNS AUGUST 24-SEPTEMBER 25

BAND ALSO CONFIRMED FOR EPICENTER- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S ROCK FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 AT VERIZON WIRELESS AMPHITHEATER IN IRVINE, CA

LINE-UP FEATURES HEADLINERS LIMP BIZKIT

ALONG WITH STAIND, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, PAPA ROACH, BUCKCHERRY, P.O.D. AND MORE

LA rockers DRIVE A, fresh off an opening slot on Hollywood Undead’s Revolt Tour 2011 are now lined up to perform on the Rock Allegiance Tour with BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH, PUDDLE OF MUD, P.O.D., RED and CROSSFADE

The tour gets underway August 24^th in Grand Prarie, TX and runs through September 25^th. The band will be direct support for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus July 8-13^th.

Drive A has also been tapped to perform at THE 2011 Epicenter Festival in Irvine, CA on September 24^th with LIMP BIZKIT,

STAIND, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, PAPA ROACH, BUCKCHERRY, P.O.D. AND MORE.  

Check out Drive A’s latest music video “Let’s Have A Wreck (Trainwreck)” on MTV.com: http://www.mtv.com/videos/drive-a/630040/lets-have-a-wreck-trainwreck.jhtml.

Drive A’s The World In Shambles will be released physically on August 9^th via the band’s own imprint Dead Conflict Records (distributed by EMI.)

For more information visit:

www.DriveARock.com

http://rockallegiance.com

www.EpicenterFestival.com

About Drive A:

Sometimes a chance meeting is more than it seems – in the case of Drive A, a random moment ignited a fuse resulting in a incendiary new band. Songs about rebellion, crunchy guitars and killer hooks have their foundation in old school punk and rock n’ roll that the band reveres but their stage presence and delivery is fresh and in the now. With a fan following that is expanding exponentially, it’s clear that the band is onto something. Drive A come roaring into 2011 with their brand new album, The World in Shambles, out on Dead Conflict Records this Spring.

The World in Shambles is the follow up to their debut album Loss of Desire (2009). The critically acclaimed album which featured singles “Are You Blind” and “Can’t Sleep It Off” set the precedent for Drive A’s form of high energy rock n’ roll and provided the soundtrack for their energetic live show. Frontman Bruno Mascolo explains “although we’re still proud of Loss of Desire, we feel we’ve come along way as musicians and songwriters, you can hear that we’ve played about 200 shows since our last record.” The band freely admits that their singular mission upon entering the studio was to craft an album that bottled their firecracker live energy and onstage prowess. They collectively rejected polished, computerized techniques and technologies in favor of beautiful, genuine imperfections, all of which serve to make The World in Shambles that much more authentic.

"We wanted to make something that was raw, and that sounded like our band when we played live," Bruno Mascolo said. “Songwriting is the essence of the band but playing live is how we truly connect with people, with that in mind we recorded The World in Shambles completely live, there were no click tracks, so what you hear is what we sound like. It was about capturing the energy and not trying to achieve perfection."

Armed with a killer arsenal of songs, the band decided to drive their message with an image that is uncompromising and disciplined. "Today, it's all about how you look," Nott said. "It's like 'This is a metal band' or 'This is a rock band. People get so obsessed with what genre a band is a part of that they forget to even listen to the music. We got sick of wearing other band’s shirts on stage because people started labeling us as part of that scene. We want people to care about our music, not about what bands we like. With the new album came the new image. We wear patches with our logo and we have another patch for a character on the album, called 'The Marked Man.'" 

"He is the underdog, the guy who dwells on his problems until eventually he creates a target on himself. We have all gone through that," Mascolo concurred. “We wear the uniforms on stage because it puts every thing on the music but we aren’t wearing meaningless patches, they hint at the message behind the band." 

The band's logo is their take on the anarchy flag, but instead of paying lip service to the concept without ever doing anything to bring about change, Drive A hope to actually incite listeners to action. Mascolo said, "We're not going to say 'Fuck the government' on stage. We want to encourage fans who are living a one-sided life, who go to school, college and then get a job and wonder if that's it, to go after their dreams." 

On The World in Shambles the band wanted to shake up their comfort zone, so instead of working with longtime friend Dennis Hill (producer of Drive A's 2009 debut Loss of Desire) the band recorded the album in two parts. The first session was recorded on analog equipment to tape at 1974 Studios in Silver Lake with Dave Cobb and the second session took place at Sunset Sound with Julian Raymond. Despite the band's "Fuck You" attitude towards concepts like conformity and fitting in with a "scene," Mascolo mentions that a current of positive energy courses through the album's veins. "There is a positive message at the end of every song," he admitted. "The idea of singing about a negative subject can sometimes be therapeutic, but most of the time it becomes cliché and loses the original meaning." "Revolt!" is about Mascolo's travels abroad, specifically in Europe, last summer. "It seemed more like a community over there," the singer mused. "There is a real lack of community here, people are just so about themselves, but it's not like that overseas." The title track "Let's Have a Wreck" is another personal song that lays its cards face up on the table. Mascolo revealed that the song is about "having an addiction to destroying situations or relationships," a construct that all of Drive A's fans are able to connect with.

The California quartet formed after singer/guitarist Bruno Mascolo and guitarist Jason Nott ran into each other one night outside of Hollywood's Troubadour in 2006. Bassist Taylor Knowles joined the band after seeing them open for Set Your Goals in Orlando. He became a fan based on their live performance and when the bass player position opened, he got in touch through the wonders of social networking and secured his slot in the rhythm section. 

Drive A has steadily built a following of fans by touring with the likes of Alkaline Trio, The Used, Atreyu, Bullet For My Valentine and Escape the Fate over the past two years. It's the band's onstage power that has attracted an alliance of kids that continue to multiply with every tour. Nott summed up the band's relationship with their fans and the crowds, saying, "We're a breath of fresh air for them. We're only a couple years older than the kids listening and they can relate."

Drive A's hungry guitar snarl meshes with power chords that take up residence in your head for weeks at a time and surprisingly mature songwriting that reveals equal parts pathos and animosity towards the status quo. The World in Shambles is proof that Drive A are well on their way.

Drive A Tour Dates:

           

          Jul 08           Webster Underground       Hartford, CT (Direct Support for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)

          Jul 09           The Chance  Poughkeepsie, NY    (Direct Support for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)           

          Jul 10           Crocodile Rock Cafe          Allentown, PA (Direct Support for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)                                        

          Jul 12           Chameleon Club      Lancaster, PA (Direct Support for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus) 

          Jul 13           The Note      West Chester, PA    (Direct Support for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)                     

          Aug 20        Rock on The Range       Winnipeg, Canada         (with Alice in Chains etc)                   

         

          Rock Allegiance Tour (8/24-9/21 & 9/25):

          Aug 24         Verizon Theatre      Grand Prairie, TX                      

          Aug 26         Zoo Amhitheatre     Oklahoma City, OK                   

          Aug 27         Buffalo Run Casino Ampitheatre   Miami, OK                      

          Aug 30         Family Arena St Charles, MO                         

          Sep 01         On The Waterfront  Rockford, IL                   

          Sep 02         SOARING EAGLE CASINO  Mt Pleasant, MI                        

          Sep 04         AMP @ WHARF       Orange Beach, AL                     

          Sep 05         Green Iguana          Tampa, FL                       

          Sep 07         FAU Arena    Boca Raton, FL                          

          Sep 09         LAWRENCE JOEL COLISEUM        Winston Salem, NC                   

          Sep 10         Ntelos Wireless Pavillion    Portsmouth, VA                       

          Sep 11         The Brewery  Rochester, NY                          

          Sep 13         WEST VIRGINIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY      Parkersburg, WV                       

          Sep 14         PromoWest Pavillion         Columbus, OH                          

          Sep 16         Main Street Armory Rochester, NY                           

          Sep 18         THE WOODS Nashville, TN                  

          Sep 20         HEARTLAND EVENT CENTER OUTDOORS         Grand Island, NE                      

          Sep 21         THEATRE @ WORLD ARENA        Colorado Springs, CO       

                  

          Sep 24        Verizon Amphitheater   Irvine, CA             EPICENTER FESTIVAL 2011   

         

          Sep 25         Power Balance Pavilion

http://DriveARock.com
http://Myspace.com/drivea
http://Youtube.com/drivearocks
http://Twitter.com/DriveAband
http://Twitter.com/BrunoDriveA
http://Twitter.com/JasonDriveA
http://Twitter.com/TaylorDriveA

Cain Marko: "At Sea"

There is just something about the northeast. It may be the winters, the basements, or the crappy economy, but that part of the country has been turning out quite a few good, way too underappreciated, punk bands in recent years including The Jukebox Romantics, and Far From Finished. Now we have a new name to add to that list, Cain Marko. Out of Michigan, this four piece makes quite a genuine and heartfelt noise. Like their brethren, there is just something about the young punks from this part of the country that is incredibly sincere and charming. There are no illusions of fame or flash to what they do, but more of a feeling that they have to produce this music or they just might explode.

With their very short (only four songs), self-produced release “At Sea” Cain Marko bring us into the world of drugs, desperation, and dead-end jobs. While front man Chris Lidstone will not be exhibiting is vocal chops on a reality show any time soon, his gravel-voiced delivery adds everything to the power and heart of these songs. As a brief introduction to what this band may be capable of in the future, “At Sea” shows a tremendous amount of promise.

Currently selling on Bandcamp, the purchase is further enhanced by really great artwork. While encased in a basic sleeve, the artwork was done by band friend Ryan Weiss. The design was then screen printed by another friend, Jeffrey Kraus (of local GR bands Victor! Fix the Sun, and Jowls). The gorgeous textural result is more than worth the $2 all by itself. T-shirts will soon be going up on the site as well, so that’s a little something to look forward to.

Memory Lane: Warped Tour 2006

With Warped Tour less than a week away from making its way to Pomona (it's a Friday of a long weekend so you have no excuse to miss it), we decided to take a trip down memory lane to Warped Tour 2006. We have  left these shots without titles or explanation so that you can play the game to name who all of these people are (or at least what bands they are from).

This Century

This Century “Sound of Fire”: 

“Sound of Fire” is available now on Action Theory Records. Catch them headlining The Young & The Useless Tour (with guests With Austin Gibbs and Carter Hulsey) this summer!

For more info: www.facebook.com/thiscenturyband

The Young & Useless Tour

7.7 Scottsdale, AZ - Martini Ranch
7.13 Pensacola, FL - The Handlebar
7.17 Raleigh, NC - The Brewery
7.18 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
7.19 Allentown, PA - Crock Rock
7.20 Philadelphia, PA -  The Barbary
7.21 Danbury, CT- The Streets @ Tuxedo Junction
7.22 Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance
7.23 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
7.24 Rockville, NY - Vibe Lounge
7.26 Toronto, ON - Sneeky Dees
7.27 Pontiac, MI- Crofoot Ballroom
7.28 Grand Rapids, MI - MXTP
7.30 Tinley Park, IL - Mojoes
8.1 Denver, CO - Marquis
8.2 Ogden, UT - The Basement
8.3 St. George, UT - GoGo 37 Gallery
8.4 Thousand Oaks, CA - Thousand Oaks Teen Center
8.5 Anaheim, CA -  Chain Reaction
8.6 San Diego, CA - Epicentre

They Did It All For The......Nookie?: Interview with Right Arm Entertainment

The biggest news of the week has been the announcement of the location, date and lineup of Epicenter 2011. Right Arm Entertainment are taking it a bit old school this year with bands like Limp Bizkit and Staind topping the bill, along with Papa Roach, who also played the main stage last year. The lineup is not, however, all old school. Drive A and Middle Class Rut (who produced one of 2010's best albums) will be firmly representing the future. Gary Spivack, of Right Arm Entertainment (the company behind Epicenter) was kind enough to answer a few questions about the big show, to be held September 24th. 

Epicenter is now three years old and has been held at three different venues. Is that based on an intentional desire to take your event to different environs, or an inability to establish a permanent long term home for the event?

Epicenter had yet to find a true home---until now. We are excited to partner with Live Nation and Monster Energy at Verizon Wireless---home to so many iconic ROCK events over the years. Epicenter will surely add to that impressive list.

What was behind the decision to only stage one day this year?

We're going back to one day to...get it right. One big massive day of rock n roll.

Last years’ lineup was incredibly diverse, whereas this year the lineup is much more cohesive in terms of appealing to a more unified audience. Was this specifically because you were dialing it down to only one day, and therefore fewer bands?

As Epicenter had yet to find a home (until now)---Epicenter also had yet to find its “lane”, and the lane for Epicenter is ROCK---period. That is the lane---the void---that is missing in So Cal and Epicenter is the perfect brand to fill it.

There has been tremendous buzz around LA for the last 24 hours or so that you guys are out of your minds to stage an event with Limp Bizkit as your headliner, both due to the fact that they’ve been gone so long, and that even people that liked them back in the day would be embarrassed to admit it now. How would you respond to the ‘haters’?

OK---that is a loaded question, and here it is: This is So Cal---this is Los Angeles---this is Hollywood. If you want to make a noise in this town---you have to make a NOISE. And Limp Bizkit is a NOISEMAKER. Love them---hate them---they will get a reaction. And f**k---isn’t that what Rock N Roll is SUPPOSED to do?!?!? Get a reaction. And from Limp Bizkit to Staind to band like Five Finger and Asking Alexandria---Epicenter will supply that---all day and night. To the haters---just come---and watch, you’ll see. With tickets starting at just $20---why the F not?

Lawn tickets are going on sale for only $20 (unusually low for an event like this). Is this a direct nod to the poor economy, or a reaction to the structured format of this venue as opposed to last year, for example, that was held festival style at the Auto Club Speedway?

We want to give the rock fan ZERO excuses not to come to Epicenter. $20 with some 14 bands? That’s like less than $2 a band. Come out and hang---it WILL be truly “Southern California’s Rock Festival!”

You have announced 13 bands so far. Can you tell me how many more bands have yet to be unveiled?
We are figuring that out now. Couple more TBA---we want to max out---give the rock fan their biggest bang for their buck. CYA AT EPICENTER!

Interview: Peter Verdell of Act As If

You may not yet know the name, but chances are you have heard the music of Act As If. Helmed by Peter Verdell, Act As If first started commanding attention back in 2006 with the release of his first EP, while he was still working behind the scenes in music with Drive Thru Records. While there have been a range of ups and downs since then, Act As If is on a huge swing of ups these days, enjoying song placements in a wide variety of high profile projects. The band currently has two local shows, one in LA in July and one in the OC in August (see our concert listings along the left side). Guest journalist Preston McClusky sat down recently to catch up with Peter Verdell, of Act As If. 

Since the last time we have talked, you have been very busy, you have been playing more shows, put out your debut full length album "There's a Light," and have been getting MTV recognition with many of your songs being played on such shows as Jersey Shore, The Real World, 16 and Pregnant, and The Buried Life, then also ABC’s Cougar Town, and CBS’s Live to Dance. What has been your most personal proud moment?

The MTV placements have been really fun, and I'm really thankful for them.  I think my proudest moment so far was getting a placement on Apple.com.  Our song "About Saying and Meaning Goodbye" is used in the background soundtrack for the OS X Lion video...and that's huge for me.  I recorded our album on a Macbook, haha, so I have a deep love for Apple products.

You also recently released a music video for you song "Old Souls," how much input did you have in the creation of that video and how did you feel it turned out for you?
 
I think it's important to recognize the extent of your creativity...and for me...it basically stops once the music is written and recorded.  I'm not skilled at visual art...so thankfully...the director of "Old Souls", Chris Cullari, came up with the entire concept.  I'm really proud of the video.  It was a complete labor of love for everyone involved (meaning...there was no budget...and everyone worked really hard for the sake of creating something new, and hopefully meaningful). 

How crazy it is for you knowing that people are searching for your music on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNzDMPtCrRU ) because they heard your song on Jersey Shore and leaving such encouraging comments such as:

"I just heard you guys on Jersey Shore and I think I just found a new favorite band! defff gonna buy There's a Light!!" By: aznheadbanger

"Best band + song ever! Found my new fav band. Come to Staten Island lol... "TheDemonBarber100

"Yeah saw your song on Jersey Shore. Honestly expected to only hear that one good song but damn you guys are really good I enjoyed every song!!"
A7XjohnA7X
 
There is nothing better than getting positive feedback on our music.  Art is hard, so any piece of encouragement we can get is helpful.  The little things like positive YouTube comments really help push me forward.  It's crazy that there are people all over the U.S. (and internationally) who know some of our songs now.  Granted...not a ton of people...but it's still really cool to realize.

For people who are interested in buying your album, what is the best way for them to get it?


Digitally on iTunes (http://bit.ly/fwZ5w5), or you can get physical copies at our merch store (http://actasif.bigcartel.com).
 

What are the next couple months looking like for you and what can we expect from Act As If?

I know we all want some cool things to happen this summer...though I'm never sure what that will look like.  I've been writing a lot, so one idea is for us to do a new EP soon.  I love "There's a Light"...and think it should be heard by a lot more people.  Part of me wants to keep pushing with it, and part of me wants to move forward with new music.  At the very least, we'll be playing a few shows, and working on new stuff.  You never know when something really cool might come along though, and we're always hopeful for that.

photos and interview by Preston McClusky

Reel Big Fish: News About Aaron

Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger Reschedule Shows in Brazil and Argentina For October

3 Disc Extended Version of RBF’s “A Best of Us for The Rest of Us” Out

Tuesday June 21^st on Rock Ridge Music

 

Co-Headline US Summer Tour with Streetlight Manifesto Kicks Off July 6 in Houston, TX

 

Reel Big Fish was scheduled for a tour of 7 shows in Brazil and Argentina from June 22 to July 2 together with Goldfinger.
Unfortunately Aaron Barrett (lead singer of Reel Big Fish) was rushed to the hospital this week after suffering severe stomach pains.
Doctors determined that Aaron had acute appendicitis, and rushed him into emergency surgery the remove the ruptured organ.
According to doctors, Aaron, who remains in the hospital, is doing well and beginning the recovery process. However it will not be possible
for Aaron to travel within the next 10 days.  We have no choice but to reschedule the tour of Reel Big Fish & Goldfinger to the new dates below. 

Fri 21 October @ Moinho Eventos, Curitiba, Brazil
Sat 22 October @ Carioca Club, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sun 23 October @ Criciuma Music Hall, Criciuma, Brazil
Wed 26 October @ Circo Voador, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Thu 27 October @ Bar Opiniao, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Fri 28 October @ Willie Dixon, Rosario, Argentina
Sat 29 October @ El Teatro Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tickets for all shows remain valid for the new dates.

Aaron will be ready to play later dates of their North American Tour starting
July 6th with Streetlight Manifesto in Texas.

REEL BIG FISH will be supporting their recent album, a 3 Disc extended version
of “A Best of Us for The Rest of Us” which will be released Tuesday June 21st
through Rock Ridge Music.  

Co-headline Summer tour with Streetlight Manifesto

Openers:
Rodeo Ruby Love – July 6 thru Aug 14 (Entire tour)
The Maxies – July 6 thru July 21
New Riot – July 22 thru Aug 14

Wed/Jul-06-2011 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

Thu/Jul-07-2011 San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live

Fri/Jul-08-2011 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

Sat/Jul-09-2011 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre

Sun/Jul-10-2011 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee theatre

Mon/Jul-11-2011 Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre

Tue/Jul-12-2011 Anaheim, CA @ Grove of Anaheim

Wed/Jul-13-2011 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

Thu/Jul-14-2011 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia

Fri/Jul-15-2011 San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom

Sun/Jul-17-2011 Denver, CO @ Ogden theatre

Mon/Jul-18-2011 Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont club

Tue/Jul-19-2011 Chicago, IL @ House of Blues

Wed/Jul-20-2011 St Louis, MO @ the Pageant

Thu/Jul-21-2011 Pontiac, MI @ Clutch Cargos

Fri/Jul-22-2011 Toronto, ONT @ Sound Academy

Sat/Jul-23-2011 Clifton Park NY @ Northern Lights

Sun/Jul-24-2011 Portland, ME @ State Theatre

Mon/Jul-25-2011 Montreal, QUE @ Metropolis

Tue/Jul-26-2011 Providence, RI @ Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel

Wed/Jul-27-2011 Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

Thu/Jul-28-2011 Boston, MA @ House of Blues

Fri/Jul-29-2011 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance

Sat/Jul-30-2011 Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock

Sun/Jul-31-2011 Washington D.C. @ 9:30 club

Mon/Aug-01-2011 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

Tue/Aug-02-2011 Sayreville NJ @ Starland Ballroom

Wed/Aug-03-2011 Norfolk, VA @ the Norva

Thu/Aug-04-2011 Charlotte, NC @ the Fillmore Charlotte

Sat/Aug-6-2011 Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live

Sun/Aug-07-2011 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues

Mon/Aug-08-2011 Atlanta, GA @ the Masquerade

Tue/Aug-09-2011 Richmond, VA @ The National

Wed/Aug-10-2011 New York, NY @ Best Buy Theatre

Thu/Aug-11-2011 Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory

Fri/Aug-12-2011 Niagara, NY @ Rapids Theatre

Sat/Aug-13-2011 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall

Sun/Aug-14-2011 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues

www.REEL-BIG-FISH.com.

Less Than Jake: Free Download

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	June 20, 2011
Greetings From... All New Material, All D.I.Y. AVAILABLE NOW!! FREE DOWNLOAD: "Goodbye, Mr. Personality"
Greetings From... EP artwork Click for hi-res Gainesville, FL - "Bands always say that the newer material is the strongest. We've made jokes about it before from the stage. BUT in this case these five songs are something that we are proud of and think are the strongest we've had in a long time," says LESS THAN JAKE drummer Vinnie Fiorello with such conviction that you know he's being completely honest. One listen to their new EP Greetings From... (their first new material since 2008's GNV FLA) and you'd agree. Released this morning (June 20, 2011) on their own label Sleep It Off Records, this also marks a major step forward in the artist-released business model in that all profits made from its sale return directly to the band - no middleman involved. "The Greetings From... EP is the first release from Sleep It Off that we are selling direct to fans with no distribution channels. Every dollar that is made goes directly to funding future Less Than Jake projects," he explains. "Usually there is a funnel that income goes through before it gets to the band. This time around there is no funnel." Greetings From... will be sold directly to fans digitally at the band's website www.lessthanjake.com as well as the merch table during 2011 Vans Warped Tour and subsequent tours afterward. LESS THAN JAKE is also offering "Goodbye, Mr. Personality" as a FREE download to fans and media outlets. It can be downloaded here: http://www.reybee.com/ltj/personality/. A return to form without backtracking, Greetings From... breathlessly amps up the ska and punk in five tracks of the kind of fun party songs that Less Than Jake built their nearing two decade history. From the 'begging for a call-and-response' exuberance of "I Can't Yell Any Louder" to the skank-inducing "Goodbye, Mr. Personality" to the pogo-stomp of "Harvey Wallbanger" to the reggae-sway of "Oldest Trick in the Book" to the breakneck punk stylings of "Life Out Loud", Less Than Jake pack everything that made them one of the reigning godfathers of the US ska scene. "The songs came together naturally and everyone added certain parts and ideas to the songs that made each of them shine," Vinnie adds. LESS THAN JAKE Click for hi-res Less Than Jake returns to Vans Warped Tour this Summer, a festival which the band has headlined countless times. "Warped has made a name for being 'punk rock summer camp' and maybe it currently doesn't live up to those words but it certainly provides an outlet for bands of every genre to play in front of different crowds," he explains. "That's what makes it unique to what it was known for early on." Kicking off on June 24th in Dallas, TX, they will join Against Me!, D.R.U.G.S., A Day to Remember, amongst others on the touring festival. For Warped dates, please go to www.warpedtour.com. Greetings From... was produced and recorded by Roger Lima at The Moathouse and mixed and mastered by Stephen Egerton. It will be released on June 20, 2011 on Sleep It Off Records. www.lessthanjake.com www.facebook.com/lessthanjake www.twitter.com/lessthanjake

The Wonder Years: "Suburbia" Album Review

Philly-based The Wonder Years released Suburbia I’ve Given You All and now I’m Nothing last week to even more fanfare and critical acclaim than last years’ "The Upsides". Successful pop punk walks a very thin line between the pop and the punk, a line too many bands lose sight of as they become successful and lean too far into the pop side, seeking commercial success. The Wonder Years, however, toe the line beautifully, creating some of their most accessible, and yet still uniquely authentic material to date. Superior pop punk relies heavily on clever lyrics, which are found in abundance on this album. These are guys that have been around the block and lived to tell about it, in a supremely candid and engaging way. Listen to either of the last two discs and you’ll find you genuinely want to be friends with these guys. The line “I spent this year as a ghost, and I’m not sure where home is anymore,” from “Came Out Swinging” speaks simply and eloquently to the travails of being on the road. Such clever insightfulness is laid over a strong performance from the band with especially powerful drum work on a number of the tracks. It’s tough to follow up a ‘breakthrough’ album like “The Upsides” with a work that is widely accepted as growth and progression, but that is exactly what “Suburbia” gives us.

RIP "The Big Man", You will be missed.

Today the music world mourns the passing of a true giant among men, Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons. I remember being introduced to The E Street Band as a kid, and being utterly fascinated not as much by Bruce (who I came to appreciate later), but by the utter magnetism and magic of Clarence Clemons. Would Bruce Springsteen still have ended up an icon of American music without Clemons? It would be impossible to answer that with any certainty, but as a long-time fan of the band, I would almost like to say no. I would like to think that it was the magical chemistry of those men in their time that made them what they became and that they couldn't have done it without each other.

If you are reading this, and have no idea what I'm talking about, YouTube abounds with video footage, and Amazon offers downloads and cd versions of not only his work with Springsteen but solo as well. Take this to be an opportunity to open the door on a bit of music history, that while it may have occurred before you were born, is actually quite integral to getting music to where it is now.

So rest in peace Clarence, you will always be remembered.