‘THE WONDER YEARS’ TOUR ON NEW ALBUM

The most-anticipated, blossoming rock show of the spring touring season is making its way to Portland’s Wonder Ballroom on Thursday, May 24: The Wonder Years (not to be confused with the TV show), Tigers Jaw, Tiny Moving Parts, and Worriers are bringing their emotionally-charged performances together in town this month.

All four of these bands tend to get lumped into the pop-punk box of the alternative music scene, yet their most recent works shatter those creatively stifling labels. They sometimes upset fans who don’t want the bands to evolve their sound despite those changes resulting in their best albums to date.

The artists’ sounds bend more towards emo or indie-rock than generic, fast-paced pop-punk, but some do share plain pop-punk influences, which are particularly evident in earlier releases.

It’s also a pleasant surprise to be seeing an alternative show, at an all-ages venue, that isn’t just a bunch of twenty-something dudes performing.

As someone who’s under 21, I often miss out on the most diverse tours coming through Portland because they take place at Mississippi Studios or the Doug Fir Lounge, some of Portland’s more elegant venues. Fortunately, this tour also features a handful of non-men in the bands. (Though, there will always be room for even more diversity).

Worriers

Kicking off each night is Worriers, a punk band that has been quickly growing, especially since signing with SideOneDummy Records and releasing “Survival Pop” last summer. They’ve definitely worked hard to make their way to opening for a tour of this scale as they’ve already played several shows internationally.

Worriers write songs about gender, and societal expectations of what femininity is supposed to look like. They also touch on mental health throughout their music which is a very common theme in all of the bands on this tour.

Tiny Moving Parts

Second on the bill are the Midwestern cousins, in Tiny Moving Parts. This three-piece plays a unique style of indie math-rock. If you’re not familiar with math-rock, it’s characterized by a lot of complex time-signature changes throughout songs, typically more technically advanced instrumentals, and guitarists often tapping on their fretboards instead of strumming all the time. All of these traits are true for Tiny Moving Parts, but the other elements they’ve added make them stand out on every show they play.

Their lyrics are quite sad, something you may not expect if you’ve ever seen the smile that’s plastered to vocalist/guitarist Dylan Mattheisen’s face at any given moment. Their new album, “Swell,” features some of their most energetic, yell-along worthy material. Tiny Moving Parts sound as tight-knit as ever, and will undoubtedly put on an explosive live show.

Tigers Jaw

Tigers Jaw are serving as direct support on this tour – rightfully so, as they’ve been longtime scene favorites, and especially popular with music lovers on Tumblr. Their most popular songs feature prominent lyrics that end up in the form of tattoos, fan art, and photo captions.

Their latest release, “Spin,” has a rock tempo to it, but the guitar tones and vocals are so warm and inviting that these songs make you want to vibe out and gently sing the words, as opposed to headbanging.

Based on past experiences seeing Tigers Jaw, I anticipate their set will be a perfect balance between songs from “Spin” and a mix of songs from the rest of their albums. That would satisfy fans both new and old, and make for a fluid transition into the headliner.

The Wonder Years

The Wonder Years: Putting this band into words is difficult, which is what makes seeing them live so powerful. This band puts forth an energy and feeling that will grab you and won’t let go.

Personally, it took me a couple years to get into them despite them being one of the biggest bands in modern alternative rock, and being comprised of musicians that I have always really respected. I learned that they’re a band that comes to you – when the time is right, their music will captivate your ears and your mind like they did at the end of 2016, for me.

Their entrancing qualities became especially true with the release of their new album, “Sister Cities.” The new record sees The Wonder Years reaching their fully realized sound. They break out of the musical boxes that they’ve been put in, and offer listeners a look at the beautiful realities that pop-punk bands have the potential to become.

“Sister Cities” examines the world through the lens of the band’s international travels, a departure and mature step forward from their previously inward-looking styles of writing.

Every time I’ve seen The Wonder Years, they’ve put on a focused, thought-provoking set that simultaneously leaves me satisfied, yet always wishing I could see more artists do what they’re doing.

So, The Wonder Years, Tigers Jaw, Tiny Moving Parts, and Worriers will play the Wonder Ballroom on Thursday. Based on the authenticity in these artists’ music and previous performances, it will likely be one of the most memorable shows of the spring.