State Champs played the second night of their self-titled U.S. tour in Dallas, Texas at the House of Blues and really set the stage for what to expect on this run.
Opener Daisy Grenade is not one to miss. Hailing from New York City, Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker combine raw, gritty vocals with a pop punk sound to create a perfect combination. They are both absolute powerhouses. Their voices complement each other perfectly, and they both truly know how to command a stage and a crowd. During the song “Riot,” Whittaker handed the mic off to a fan in the crowd who screamed along. The energy did not waver during their set. They played their October single “How to Hide a Body,” as well as fan-favorite “Hypocrite.” These women are extremely impressive and really are shaping the way for women in the scene.
Meet Me @ The Altar took to the stage next. As a name that has been slowly taking over pop punk in its newest iteration, I was highly anticipating their set. Consisting of members Edith Victoria (vocals), Téa Campbell (guitar), and Ada Juarez (drums), Meet Me @ The Altar released their debut album Past // Present // Future under Fueled by Ramen last year. From that album, they played “Try,” “Kool,” and “Say It (To My Face).” During “Hit Like A Girl,” Victoria asked for an all-women’s mosh pit and the ladies in the room certainly delivered. It was incredibly empowering to watch women let themselves go and have fun in the pit. Meet Me @ The Altar also did a mashup of pop punk classics, such as New Found Glory’s “My Friends Over You” and Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” that felt like a great nod to generations of the genre before them.
Pop punk veterans Knuckle Puck consistently put on a solid performance. Every time I see them, I am always impressed with their artistry and the way they command a crowd. Joe Taylor (vocals) is very crowd-oriented, as he holds out the mic and expects the fans to sing along—which they certainly do. Kevin Maida (guitar), John Siorek (drums), Nick Casasanto (rhythm guitar), and Ryan Rumchaks (bass) are masters at their craft. One moment that stood out was Taylor taking a moment to recognize that their 2014 EP While I Stay Secluded turned ten years old this year. To celebrate, they played “But Why Would You Care?,” and the crowd went wild. Knuckle Puck also played their newest single “On All Cylinders,” which came out in October. They mostly highlighted tracks off their 2023 album Losing What We Love, such as “A New Beginning” and “Groundhog Day.” Fan favorites “Untitled” and “No Good” rounded out the set perfectly, combined with crowd surfing and finger-pointing.
State Champs always know how to throw a party at their shows. As someone who has been seeing this band consistently over the past ten years, their showmanship is no surprise. After spending 2023 supporting bands like Simple Plan and Boys Like Girls, their last headlining tour was in late 2022, making this tour highly anticipated. The House of Blues Dallas was packed, and the crowd was buzzing by the time State Champs took to the stage. Starting the night off with “Silver Cloud,” the first single off their newest self-titled album, was a perfect beginning to an incredible set. “Losing Myself” and “Mine is Gold” followed behind to give the crowd a perfect taste of what they were in for. During the set, State Champs had to stop a few times due to technical difficulties. Even then, the energy in the room never faltered. Both Derek DiScanio (vocals) and Ryan Scott Graham (bass) thanked the crowd for their patience and explained that these sorts of things happen at the beginning of a tour, but it was obvious that the crowd was unbothered and ready to support them when everything was fixed. Fans happily sang along as the band restarted “All You Are is History.”
Since their newest release—and fifth studio album— came out one day before this show, on November 8th, a majority of the songs played are featured on it, such as “Light Blue” and “Hell of It,” just to name a few. Even though it was all brand new, the crowd sang along to every word. DiScanio took a moment to highlight that the band’s first album The Finer Things turned eleven years old this year and celebrated by playing “Remedy” and “Elevated” back to back. To round out the night, State Champs played long-time fan favorite “Secrets,” and the energy in the room was palpable. An endless stream of crowd surfers and fans being heard well over the band’s production made it truly the best ending to a great night.
This tour is not one to miss! Dates below:
November 8: Austin, TX @ Emo’s
November 9: Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
November 11: Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
November 13: Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
November 14: Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
November 15: Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
November 16: Seattle, WA @ Showbox Sodo
November 18: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
November 19: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Call
November 22: Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
November 23: Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
November 24: Cleveland, OH @ The Agora
November 26: Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
November 27: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts*
November 29: Nashville, TN @ Cannery Mainstage
November 30: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
December 1: Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
December 3: Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
December 4: Boston, MA @ House of Blues
December 6: Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
December 7: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
