Long Island emo/pop punk band WAIVER. has very quickly been making a mark on the scene. Having only been together for a very short time they have hit the ground running with 2 EP releases, played consistent shows, and building a steady fanbase. BareBones Ent got the chance to talk with WAIVER about the band, their EP, and much more.
[Note we completed this interview prior to the release of the Eyes Wide Open]
BBE: How would you best describe your music to new listeners?
Nick: I’d say our music is high energy rock music. Specifically, I’d say we fall in the Emo/Pop Punk/Post Hardcore realm but thinking of a definitive “genre” has always been tough for all of us haha.
BBE: What do you think it is about WAIVER. that makes your band special?
Nick: If I had to say, basically across the board we all have different musical backgrounds as far as what we all listened to growing up that made each of us want to start a band in the first place. So I think there’s a really unique blend of inspirations in our band that led us to sound and play like we do.
Joey: I think the thing that makes our band special is the bond we have with each other. Even though there are 2 sets of brothers in the band, I really feel like we’re all family, and outside of the band, we’re all best friends that hang out constantly. I think it helps us really lock in and connect with each other, and I hope people can feel the love we give off when we play. –
BBE: You have hit the ground running in 2023. What has it been like for you to be able to jump right into playing some shows to kick off the year?
Nick: It’s been amazing. We’re all forever grateful for any opportunity to play a show and we’re happy to be playing out consistently. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, and we’re always gonna have fun and play as much as we can.
BBE: Are you expecting to be very actively touring throughout the year?
Joey: Right now we have just over 10 shows booked around Long Island and the Tri-State Area and more in the works, our goal is to just play as many places as we can to as many people as possible this year.
BBE: You recently released a new song, “Right Here”. Have you been playing this song at shows?
Nick: Yeah we have. It’s funny we’ve actually been playing “Right Here,” and the other 4 new songs we dropped recently since we started playing shows over a year ago. The band actually formed during COVID and we wrote a lot of music throughout that time. When shows started happening again after that, we had the songs off our can’t sleep. EP and all the new singles we’ve been releasing (that are a part of our new EP, Eyes Wide Open, dropping March 24th) and we’ve basically been playing it all since we started playing shows.
BBE: How have crowds been reacting to it?
Nick: I’d say “Right Here” has always been taken well by crowds, it’s catchy and it’s got a good energy to it so I think it’s a fun one for everyone, it definitely is for us.
BBE: Is this song part of the upcoming EP, Eyes Wide Open?
Nick: Yes sir!
BBE: What led you to pick “Right Here”, as a single from it?
Nick: We made “Right Here” the last single before the EP drop because It’s a feel good, catchy song that encapsulates a lot of what the Record stands for.
BBE: What information can you share with us about the EP?
Nick: The Eyes Wide Open EP is a 6 song EP that consists of 5 songs we’ve released as singles since this past September. We dropped 5 of the 6 songs as singles, one song every month, because we wanted these songs to be as easily digestible as possible for everyone. But now that it’s time for that 6th and last song to drop, it’s time for us to put out the EP as a whole, almost like the 6th song was the last missing puzzle piece. The order we released the singles are in a different order than what the EP track list is, and this last song will be the middle track of the whole EP. This track list order is also the order we wrote all these songs in. This EP feels like a time capsule to me of a really raw and real time where the world was shut down and all there was to do was hang out in a room with my friends, write music, and think about the day we’ll be able to play or go to a show again. I think if you listen to it all the way through, those feelings and emotions definitely come through. –
BBE: What is the best way for fans to stay up to date with news for your band and connect with you?
Nick: Definitely our Instagram right now (@waiver.official), that’s our most active social and basically where you can find everything you would need to from us.
BBE: Anything else you would like to add?
Joey: To anyone who enjoys what we do, We love you. Welcome to the WAIVER. family.
Nick: Keep on rocking in the free world and we hope to see you at a show soon!
