It’s almost that time of year again, where thousands upon thousands of black t-shirt and jorts wearing music fans will descend upon Gainesville, FL in hopes of seeing their favorite bands and drinking just enough to not remember seeing anything all. While there are hundreds of well-known names on the Fest schedule this year, we wanted to showcase a handful of the bands who are heading down to Florida and playing for the very first time. So keep reading, check out all the bands in this series, and get to know some really great under the radar talent!
We chatted with Anthony of Tired Radio about the band’s starts as a solo project and how it grew into something much more. The NY-based band just released a cover of one of The Replacements’ most classic songs, “Bastards of Young,” as part of a tribute compilation out now via Creep Records. You can stream Let the Bad Times Roll below and pre-order your copy on vinyl here!
Tired Radio will be playing on Saturday, October 28th at Vecino’s at midnight. Don’t miss ’em!
Interview
How long has the band been playing music?
I started making music under the name Tired Radio in 2017. Back then it was a full band solo project. I put out two singles and then tabled the project for a while. I mean, I continued writing songs but didn’t have much of a desire to release them publicly. Then in 2019, I decided to revisit the project and record an album.
I brought Kevin in to play drums on the album. I was originally gonna play drums myself like the previous singles but ultimately decided I wanted them to sound good and that wasn’t gonna happen with me behind the kit haha. At that time Tired Radio was still just a recording project. I never intended to actually turn it into a live band but while we were in the studio Kevin kept pushing me to get a band together. So in February of 2020, I succumbed to his peer pressure and full band Tired Radio was born. Little did we know a month later a global pandemic would come along and we wouldn’t get to play our first show together for another year and half. Classic.
Have you personally attended Fest before?
What are you most stoked for during Fest weekend?
What’s your very best tour story?
Honestly in such a short time there have really been so many. They’re like little snapshots we’ve shared with each other. I think we’ve manifested some of it. For real. I think the joy we’ve had playing with each other from the start, and what we’ve set out for ourselves to accomplish, has almost shifted something cosmically. It’s the sort of thing that makes you believe in more than coincidence. And sometimes those moments ain’t that deep, sometimes it’s just something that makes your stomach hurt from cackling. But hands down, it was The Get Up Kids day that holds the top spot for us.
We got the chance to support them in Hamburg for Booze Cruise. We got to close out our German tour opening in a beautiful European theatre. From hanging out with the whole band in the green room to drinking and singing a made up song we called “Hamburg Summer” with Jim and Ryan after the show behind the venue, that day with The Get Up Kids was something that really hit us hard that we will never forget.
We were giddy, excited, and very emotional about it. It had been less than a year since our first local show and here we were in Europe hanging out with a band we’ve looked up to since childhood. Me and Jay were standing on the side of the stage during their set, just tears streaming down our faces while they played. That’s where it all started for us as kids, ya know? They were instrumental to our childhood, to our friends, and to our earliest days as musicians. It felt like a dream come true and we’ll never forget it.
Let’s say you’re booking the lineup of a festival that represents you as an artist/band. What would the top 5 headliners be?
What does the band have coming up?
We are wrapping up our second LP and we are really excited for everyone to hear it! Not sure when it will be released yet but hopefully early next year. Keep your eyes and ears peeled!
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