Wednesday, June 25, 2008
When the band, Relient K, comes to the Verizon Wireless Ampitheater on July 2 for the Warped Tour, it will mark their return to the city that helped them get their career off the ground.
When Relient K started touring earlier in 2000, Kansas City was one of the first cities they played at.
“That was the first show ever that we were away from home that kids started to sing along to our songs and we really felt an acceptance from a place we had never been before,” guitarist Matt Hoopes said.
Relient K has enjoyed their increased popularity and has already released five albums with more on the way. The band is currently performing in its second Warped Tour, and the group will be playing in more than 40 cities over the next several months.
Hoopes said the band had learned from previous experiences on how to deal with “grind” mentality of the road. The long hours playing and time spent away from home could take its on toll on any band, and Hoopes said the band tried to take its mind off the demanding schedule of the tour by riding bikes or playing video games.
“It is kind of a struggle. You have to step back and look at it as an amazing opportunity to and play music with my friends for a job,” Hoopes said. “It is a crazy to think about how lucky we are.”
Luck is something the band seems to have on their side. Last summer in the middle of the night while the band was sleeping on a bus, they were awakened by screams from their bus driver.
“EVERYBODY GET OUT OF THE BUS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,” the bus driver had yelled.
When the band stepped off the bus, they could see that the engine had caught on fire and the back part of the bus was up in flames. Nobody was injured and most of their instruments were saved. The band can even laugh about the night they were stranded along a highway in Pennsylvania.
Bobby Gale, who works for Relient K, said the band’s casual demeanor has made them a hit with fans, and Hoopes said the band tries to avoid the “rockstar” label.
“We aren’t any different than the people watching us,” Hoopes said. “We are trying to tear down the barrier of the people on stage and the people in the crowd.”
The band plays songs that center around hope and redemption with Christian themes. Hoopes said that while most of their songs weren’t deep or personal, they still had people come up to them to telling them their songs helped them through a tough time.
“I was just thinking that’s crazy and really cool that you can have an impact like that.”
— Edited by Mandy Earles
Portugal. The Man is a band on ...
The popular alternative rock band returned to one of its favorite towns ...
New name, same sound
Don’t call them ‘Volunteers’ anymore. They’re ‘the Vols,’ and the Lawrence band ...
Q&A: Israel Nebeker of the band Blind ...
Catching up with Blind Pilot before their show in Lawrence on March ...
Q&A: Tom Higgenson of Plain White T's
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
CD's bring back fond memories
The music we listen to throughout life creates a timeline of interests ...
Q&A with Peter Bauer of the Walkmen
Band garners rave reviews with latest album, ready for European tour
G. Loves spreads the love
G. Love talks about his Lawrence and his musical influences.
Local band gets big-time attention
Musicians question effectiveness of national publicity in enticing fans.
Who's who at KU: Merritt Schenk
Punk rocker drives buses to fuel music lifestyle.
Blink 182 concert draws thousands of fans
On the tour, the band played new material for the first time ...
The sincerest form of flattery
Find out how the musically inclined pay homage to legendary, and sometimes ...
Stage Presence: Cities and Thrones
Feel free to swoon.
Q&A with Davey Pierce of the band, ...
We have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q&A: Yo La Tengo bassist speaks with ...
The indie rock band will perform Tuesday at the Granada.
Q&A: Brendan Hangauer: vocalist/guitarist of Fourth of ...
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
“Wizard rock” comes to Lawrence Public Library
Harry and the Potters performs exclusively songs about, well, Harry Potter.
Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs concert
The band rocks old songs while elevating itself to the next level.
Belting out some noise
Exploding engines and a wall of noise
Q&A with Bryce Avary — The Rocket ...
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Band combines genres, creates beats
San Francisco-based band Chow Nasty will play their first Kansas show at ...
Q&A: Sherri DuPree Bemis of Eisley
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Q & A: The Frames
Q&A with Katie Euliss of Truckstop Honeymoon
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Morning Brew: Q&A with Tech N9ne, Krizz ...
Montemayor gets up close and personal with the KC rappers.
Q&A: Sam Adams
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Morning Brew: Local rapper reps KU hoops
Kansas City rapper B Double E’s latest album references Bill Self and ...
Q&A: Exitmusic's Aleksa Palladino
The latest on the greatest up-and-coming stars.
Q & A
With Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam
Music guy
A road map to music utopia
Mates of State on Love and Staying ...
Kori Gardner of indie-pop duo Mates of State tells how she keeps ...
Music review: Rooftop Vigilantes
It’s not all about fast food and beer pong.
Why don't we do it on the ...
State radio brings service to the community.
SUA commemorates 1991 Nirvana concert
More than two decades after Nirvana's concert in the Union Ballroom, SUA ...
Q&A: Brooke Fraser
Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Freshman wins VMA award for original promo
KU student wins first consumer contest Moonman award from MTV.
Celebrity Dish: Thomas Becker
Becker plays guitar for Kansas City band The Beautiful Bodies.
Reliving the music dream
Mark Gottschall, journalism resource center supervisor, recorded an album in Spain 35 ...
Alumna expresses life through music
Lisa Donnelly’s hit song “Laugh” makes it to the television in Brazil.
Q & A
with Todd Anderson of Left on Northwood
Question & answer
With Volunteers singer Tyler Jack Anderson
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Christian rock band returns to the city that started it all
Dude, it's not Verizon anymore, the name has reverted back to Sandstone again. Not that anybody ever stopped calling it Sandstone.
It always made me shudder to hear "Verizon Wireless Amphitheater," but it's so much worse now when that's not even its name. Tsk, tsk.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID