As Warped Tour rolls into New Jersey this year, one of the year’s most hyped about bands is a staple on the traveling musical circus. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Forever The Sickest Kids are an electronic powerpop group that knows how to get any crowd in the party mood.
From rags to riches, the band had a whirlwind beginning when one of the members bought a promotional spot on Purevolume, where they became a sensation in the digital world practically overnight. With only a few songs written, major labels began fighting over the sextet, who in their eyes was fated to be the second comings of electronic rock bands. With an opening slot on this spring’s Alternative Press Tour, a debut full-length, and a single on hit radio stations and Music Television, those labels executives may just have predicted the bright future that lies ahead for the band’s members.
During one of the band’s precious days off of tour, guitarist Marc Stewart and I chatted about some of his favorite bands right now, the effects of being pop-rock, and the members’ obsession with NHL’s most prized award, all while speaking a humble southern drawl.
Now that you have done a few dates of Warped Tour are you prepared for the whole summer?
Oh, no it’s so much fun. We have already done about 12 dates and things have gone pretty good so far. We are on a bus this year, so it makes life so much easier. We basically have a place to go run and hide from the heat.
What are the best and worst parts of the tour?
The best is just how many fans we get to see. We will go out and play acoustic shows, do signings, and press. Then we will hang out at our merch tent and take pictures with everyone. The worst part is definitely the heat and how long the day is for the most part. You don’t realize it at first, but when you’re there for awhile you start to feel it.
Have you discovered any new bands?
Yeah, well, we have toured with a lot of bands and are good friends with a lot of bands so it’s great to see some of them back on tour with us now. The Higher was on our stage at Warped. I also go to see August Burns Red for the first time live so that was good. Katy Perry and Schwayze are on the stage right next to us and they’re awesome.
The barbecues are one of the tour’s best traditions. Have you gone to one yet?
We have been to a couple. They usually do them when we have that day or the next day off, and during those days we try to pick up a show or do something like that, so we haven’t gotten the chance to go to all of them, but they’re fun.
