Playing a positive-natured brand of hardcore-tinged Celtic punk, Flatfoot 56 has been unleashing itself upon America and the rest of the world for over 20 years now. Forming in 2000, the Chicago natives achieved nationwide attention with their first two label-backed records, 2006’s Knuckles Up and 2007’s Jungle of the Midwest Sea. These releases built on a heavy dose of previously established regional notoriety, helping the band gain steam early on.
While each record received its fair share of acclaim, the quintet exploded onto a new level with 2010’s Black Thorn. Landing the band on a total of 9 Billboard Charts, Flatfoot 56 proved it could consistently reach an expanding audience while treading in a genre not often associated with widespread success. This success was advanced even further with song placements in the hit TV series
"Sons of Anarchy" and the video game "Watchdogs".
After the success of "Blackthorn" Flatfoot hit the studio yet again in 2012 to record their Paper and plastic records backed "Toil" album. This album would further solidify the band as a consistent force to be reckoned with.
Flatfoot 56’s latest full-length album, entitled "Odd Boat", was produced by Matt Allison at Atlas studios in Chicago. “We decided that since the last experience at Atlas Studios was so beneficial, we wanted to repeat it,” Bawinkel said. “We have been friends with Matt for a few years now and we love the work that he and his studio engineers do.”
"Odd Boat" was a self-released album. “We have been working with labels so long that we decided that we wanted to have more of a say in how our music gets distributed and promoted. We are excited about this next season,” Bawinkel said. “As a band we have all grown a lot over the years and we wanted to stretch ourselves even further. Self release is a good way to do this."
In 2018, Flatfoot 56 released the E.P. "The Vancouver Sessions". In this E.P., they restyled and recorded original songs from multiple albums acoustically. Some fans prefer these acoustic versions over their original versions as they highlight and emphasize the great storytelling element of these ballads.
In 2022, Flatfoot 56 released their first Split E.P. They joined forces with the amazing band,
The Rumjacks, and each released three new and original songs. They are available on vinyl,
for digital download, and playing on Spotify and other streaming services.
Frontman Tobin Bawinkel (vocals/guitar) is now set to lead Flatfoot 56 back into the studio. Armed with his brother Kyle (bass), along with their original piper Josh (bagpipes/mandolin), and Dan Alfonsi (Drums), Flatfoot 56 is in the process of writing their 8th full-length studio album.
The Venomous Pinks are an all-female punk band from Arizona who have been making waves in the scene since 2013. The band is known for their intense and energetic live shows, as well as their catchy melodies and brash punk sound.
While every all-female punk band will draw inevitable comparisons to Bikini Kill, few deserve them more and want them less than the Venomous Pinks. They simply want to deliver the most intense, refined, in-your-face, high-energy hardcore punk regardless of gender or background.
The Venomous Pinks have shared the stage and earned the respect of a who’s who of punk rock royalty, including Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion, and NOFX. They have also played at some of the biggest festivals in the world, such as Punk Rock Holiday, Punk Rock Bowling, and BrakRock.
In 2022, The Venomous Pinks released their long-awaited debut LP, Vita Mors. The album perfectly encapsulates who The Venomous Pinks are in 2022: a fusion of unforgettably catchy melodies and brash punk that pushes forth the underlying messages of unity, equality, and positive mental attitude (PMA).
Whether you’re looking for the slick hardcore punk musicianship of shredding guitars, pounding bass, and thunderous drums or the oft-inspiring message of a band capable of bringing generations of punk rockers together The Venomous Pinks are very much what the present and future look like. These ladies will rock your world in every room of the house, clear out to the parking lot. While their energetic stage performance exhibits a “work hard and play harder” mentality, this tight, punchy three-piece’s unapologetic style will ravage your ears with their mix of punk and hardcore.