Tired Radio
Like many bands, I discovered Tired Radio at Fest. I'd heard references prior, so I decided it was time to check 'em out when I saw them on the daytime Backyard schedule a couple of years ago. The space was packed, early in the afternoon, and the crowd was singing along to every word. It was clear I'd found something.
Then, last year, they released Hope In The Haze, a record that solidified my appreciation. While their lyrical content is downright miserable, the energy of their live show is cathartic and powerful.
Scene Point Blank: How many Fests have you played?
Tony: Three glorious Fests
Scene Point Blank: Do you have a favorite moment from past Fests -- either performing or as a spectator?
Tony: Definitely our first Fest. That was honestly one of the greatest moments of my life. The energy in the room before we even started was palpable. Then we started playing and everyone just went fucking nuts, screaming every word back at us. It was one of those moments where you’re like, "Holy shit, this is real." It was incredibly validating and honestly changed my life a little bit.
Scene Point Blank: What bands are you looking forward to most at FEST 24?
Tony: Oh boy. I can list 100 bands here, but I'll narrow it to five, and I'm sure I'll inevitably miss all of them: Bear Vs. Shark, Small Brown Bike, Kerosene Heights, I Am The Avalanche, Algernon Cadwallader.
Scene Point Blank: What is your decision-making method for choosing a band when you have a schedule conflict (e.g. 2 bands playing at the same time)?
Tony: Ahh yes, the dreaded conflict. It changes every time. Sometimes I make a decision and don’t look back (aka, regret that decision for the rest of my life). Sometimes I try to catch a little bit of both. And sometimes I just say fuck both bands and go have a whiskey at Loosey’s.
Scene Point Blank: I feel like your songs chase painful emotions. How do you keep it going without hitting exhaustion? When does a real life experience become a song and when is it something you just have to "move on from"?
Tony: I think putting those painful emotions into songs is how I process big feelings. Once I get them out into a song, it either helps me move on -- or at least makes them feel a little less heavy. As for avoiding exhaustion… I don’t know if I’ve figured that part out yet. It is Tired Radio, after all.
Scene Point Blank: On that note, do you have an example of a song you wrote about a tough situation that has a whole new meaning now, after playing it live repeatedly?
Tony: Honestly, I don’t think the meaning of any of the songs has really changed from playing them so much. There are definitely songs I feel a little more disconnected from now because I’m in a different place in my life, but the meaning is still the same. I think sometimes the song stays frozen in that moment, even if you’ve moved on from it.
Scene Point Blank: You're obviously having fun on stage, so I have to ask how you balance grim life experience with trauma and challenging emotional material?
Tony: I think the fun part is kind of what balances it out. The songs are heavy enough. I don’t want the live show to feel like another heavy experience, ya know? I think you can write about some really dark shit and still have a blast playing it. Nothing makes me more genuinely happy than playing these songs and seeing everyone in the room screaming along and jumping around. I don’t want every part of the band to feel heavy. Life is hard enough. I want our live show to be an escape.
Scene Point Blank: I'm more familiar with the Midwest scene and its often intensely personal focus. Who are some East Coast bands that influenced your sound?
Tony: Honestly, the Midwest scene is a huge influence on me, maybe even more so than the East Coast scene. But growing up on Long Island, bands like Taking Back Sunday, Saves The Day, Glassjaw, Thursday, and The Movielife, really shaped my taste.
Scene Point Blank: Everyone in America, if not the world, knows about Brooklyn. What do they not know about the punk scene there? What's it like in a real, daily living sense?
Tony: I'll say this first: our scene in Brooklyn is beautiful and made up of some of the best bands and people around. But I think the thing about NYC is that it’s so big and there are so many bands that it’s actually hard to have a “scene.” There are a ton of little cliques and pockets of people, but it’s not really one big, cohesive scene. That’s something I really appreciate about living in Philly now. The scene here feels a lot more interconnected and communal.
Scene Point Blank: When you play such serious songs, is it sometimes hard or how do you "break the wall" to make a song ready for the performance? Is it hard to break down those walls?
Tony: I think the fun and excitement of playing live actually makes the heaviness of the songs a lot easier to deal with. That said, some songs are definitely harder than others. There are a few songs we don’t even play because they’re really hard for me to get through. It honestly just depends on where I’m at emotionally that night. Sometimes I can get through them no problem, and sometimes I just can’t.
Scene Point Blank: If you had a do-over moment or a chance to rewrite a lyric, what would it be? It can be a minor tweak or a major chance?
Tony: The first thing that came to mind when I read this question was “Your Great Escape.” There’s a part in the intro where I sing about having a slight overbite. That was originally just a placeholder lyric and I just never changed it. It bothers me so much. So I guess if I could go back and rewrite one thing, it would probably be that, haha.
Scene Point Blank: Going the other way, what song or lyric is the most inspiring to play live and watch the reaction?
Tony: The intro of “D.R.E.A.M.” has become the coolest part to play live in that regard. As soon as I start singing, “The things that used to make me happy, they don’t work no more,” people have been going absolutely apeshit. Sometimes I can barely hear myself over everyone screaming. It rules.
Scene Point Blank: While we all love Fest, what would make it even better?
Tony: No notes.
