Neon Trees

I'm keeping this so subtle.

It's very, uh, Neon Trees to me.

Yeah.

I don't want to.

What's wrong with some Osmonds or Imagine Dragons? That sounds like the worst round of Hootis ever.

Neon Trees.

That's the only three I can name from Utah.

There's a really funny story about the Imagine Dragons, but that's fine.

But I was like, no, Walk the Moon is, like, a different lineage.

They're, um, Foster the People or Neon Trees or something.

Like, they're on, they're an alt rock band or whatever we call that these days, alt rock-

Mm-hmm

I would say legitimately furious with me for going a different route.

But what was really gratifying is in, I think it was 2010 or 2011 after Neon Trees Animal had like, stormed onto the scene and become really big and was in commercials and all sorts of movies and TV shows and whatever.

And it had gotten back to my basketball coach.

And he emailed me and said, hey, I was wrong.

And we're kind of the three core members.

And to find those two people to care as intensely about it as I did, to be willing to sacrifice for it as I was, you know, there's really a special bond and a unity there.

to finding people like that that will bleed for a dream, you know? And I found that with Neon Trees as well.

Like, we're still doing it.

And we remained friends, by the way.

I just met his daughter at a Neon Trees show for the first time, which is so fun.

Anyway, so like we stayed friends.

It's all good.

it's like a more connected society in cyber ways and a less connected society in real ways and i think this renewed interest in midwest emo is not being powered by people who would have come to our shows before it's being appreciated and applauded and like we are going along with it the people who were there back then but it's being fueled by people who maybe weren't even born or were barely three when we broke up you know and i just have to say thank you thank you to a generation of people who are looking for something that makes them feel something that connects them in a real anti-establishment, anti-AI, anti-polished way.

I think it is this generation's reaction to the hyper-stylized, uber-pop, very perfected, way that the arts have been trending.

And my current band included, Neon Trees.

I mean, at its core, we're a rock band.

I went to see Goo Goo Dolls at the Brandon and Gaga Dolls.

Their opener was Neon Trees.

And as you know...

And that's why you went.

And I've been a fan since A Boy Named Goo, which I think came out in 97 or 96 or some shit.

So it was way past time for me to see those guys.

And I love Neon Trees.

Like, every single Neon Trees song.