With the triumphant swagger of a super bowl-winning football team, State Champs made their entrance onto the stage at Nashville’s Cannery Hall. From the very beginning it was clear that this wasn’t just an ordinary pop-punk act; this was a collection of individuals that had every intention of being the best of both. Their presentation was unassumingly original: coordinated outfits, pitch-perfect deliveries, pre-recorded instrumental support, and all the jazz expected for any respectable group. But their lively stage presence, aggressive sonics, and their highly encouraged audience-centric antics would likely have been just as at home in any punk setting under the sun. Playing a set comprising over a decade of original material (ending with their bigger hits), the passion and devotion of the unit remained apparent the whole way through.
Observing the audience of these ageless renegades would reveal a similar attitude among their enjoyers. A multi-generational mixture of head-bobbing veterans and headphone-clad newcomers alike could be seen absorbing the tunes. The most evident conclusion to be drawn from this is that one thing transcends: punk attitude is forever. State Champs has tapped into the ultimate blend of pioneering jams and nostalgia that unites the masses of a popular and underground persuasion. With their origins in 2010, it is clear that they have the potential and, likely, intention to stick around for another decade and a half with their fans.
Exclaiming that “I’ve got a lot to talk about if you still wanna listen,” the lyricism of State Champs is witty, direct, and leaves almost nothing to imagination. With their aggressive, guitar and bass driven sonics, each song feels organic and authentic in a way the more produced and plastic perfection of today’s radio can’t. With songs about “walking tall in a small town,” and about “bringing us down,” they capture a relatability that nearly every human of every generation can relate to in some way. All in all, State Champs is the blending of nostalgia and authenticity the music world needs, and what’s more punk rock than that?
- Harrison Eason
Photos Courtesy of Kylie Hoover (For Bell Music Magazine)
