Lineup
Taking Back Sunday, who released their eighth studio album 152 in late 2023, often refer to
themselves as the ‘luckiest guys you will meet.’ The new album, featuring 10 intensely
vulnerable and absorbing new tracks was delivered with fresh ambition and a newfound
purpose. It stands among the most genuinely reflective and emotionally pure efforts of Taking
Back Sunday’s illustrious career.
Starting out just hoping to release at least one album and go on tour, the band has since sold
millions of albums, has multiple tracks with streams hitting the multiple hundred million mark,
toured the world several times over, performed at all of the biggest festivals and are still always
looking forward.
Never ones to rest on their prior accomplishments or impressive back catalogue they are
always striving to make something that they hope folks can find a little piece of themselves in.
“Music is there to bring you together with like-minded people and get a little lost. For us, the
songs from 152 have a life and energy all their own. It would make us the happiest if we can all
get lost in it together.”
In December 2023, Hoobastank celebrated the 20th anniversary of their sophomore album, The Reason, which propelled the band to new heights following their platinum-certified 2001 debut. The album’s title track, “The Reason,” became a global sensation, achieving 4x platinum status, multiple #1 chart positions, and over 4 billion streams/views. The album itself was certified 2x platinum, with its official music video reaching 1 billion views on YouTube, placing the band in the exclusive “billions club.”
Hoobastank has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, driven by TikTok and TV shows. The viral #NotAPerfectPerson trend on TikTok garnered over 957 million views and brought fresh attention to “The Reason,” while Netflix’s Beef featured the track, leading to its re-entry on the iTunes Rock charts and Shazam’s US Top 200. The band now boasts over 9 million monthly Spotify listeners and 2 million followers, with “Crawling in the Dark” and “The Reason” accumulating 125 million and 900 million Spotify streams, respectively. In 2023 alone, their catalog saw 234 million Spotify streams.
The Plain White T’s, an American pop rock band from Lombard, Illinois, were formed in 1997 by high school friends Tom Higgenson, Dave Tirio, and Ken Fletcher, later joined by Steve Mast. Initially, the band built a dedicated underground following through performances in Chicago’s basements, clubs, and bars.
Hawthorne Heights returned in 2023 with their eighth studio album, The Rain Just Follows Me, released in September via Pure Noise Records. The album’s 11 tracks showcase JT Woodruff’s deeply personal songwriting, exploring themes of physical and emotional distance from his family in Ohio and his identity as the frontman of an iconic emo band.
Over nearly two decades, the band has faced numerous challenges, from industry struggles and audience shifts to personal tragedy. Despite these obstacles, Hawthorne Heights—comprising JT Woodruff, Mark McMillon, Matt Ridenour, and Chris Popadak—has earned two Gold albums (The Silence In Black And White and If Only You Were Lonely), created emo staples like “Ohio Is For Lovers” and “Saying Sorry,” and maintained their status as a relentless touring act.
Twenty-five years of traveling the world and five full length studio albums later. The Ataris songs are chock full of heart, vivid narratives and personal stories. Played loud and recorded completely organically, using honest vintage tones and the warmth of analog tape.
“Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits” proved to be the breakout album for The Ataris in 1999. It was the album that started to gain the band widespread acclaim and introduced scores of new fans to the detailed imagery, melodic hooks and heartfelt storytelling in their songs. Spawning fan favorites such as “San Dimas”, “1/15/96″ and “I Won’t Spend Another Night Alone”, “Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits” remains to this day a solid introduction to the band’s songwriting and nonstop D.I.Y. touring spirit.
“So Long Astoria” is arguably the most well-known album from The Ataris. Produced by Lou Giordano (Paul
Westerberg / Samiam / Goo Goo Dolls / Hüsker Dü) and released in 2003. It included the singles “In This Diary”, “The Saddest Song” and their celebrated cover of the Don Henley anthem “The Boys of Summer”.
The album entered the Billboard 200 charts at number 24 and has sold upwards of 850,000 copies, earning the band their first gold record. Punk News called the album “A landmark in their career’.
“So Long, Astoria” further expanded on the vivid narratives and brutally honest storytelling the band has become known for.
“DJ Joey Donut” coined his name from the iconic rebranding of Dunkin’ Donuts, dropping ‘Donuts’ from its name. A Staten Island, New York native, Joey Ianelli, frequently visited Dunkin’ for coffee. It was this habit that led him to pick up the “Donuts” and embark on his mixing career as DJ Joey Donut.
Accompanied by his 16-year-old Chihuahua, Milo, DJ Joey Donut is the driving force behind the celebrated Emo vs. Pop Punk nights at miniBar in Kansas City. Notably, he was the resident DJ at the first-ever Phase Fest in Kansas City.
With 5 years of experience DJing in the emo scene and over 15 years of traveling with tours like Warped Tour, DJ Joey Donut is eagerly gearing up to bring his elder emo energy to the inaugural Phase Fest in Sioux Falls.