There is a place called The Sweetwater Tavern just off the main square in Denton, Texas. You've perhaps not been there, but you're familiar with Bowling For Soup, the larger than life Texan band that have delivered infectious power pop music to the world for over two decades, you'll most certainly know the name. Why? Because rather than trying to break away from their hometown, BFS simply took their hometown with them and into the hearts of millions of people all over the world. Its this lovable honesty that has served them well since forming back in 1994. Everyone can relate to what BFS sings about, everyone can relate to the characters in the band - singer Jaret Reddick, guitarist Chris Burney, bassist Erik Chandler and drummer Gary Wiseman - we want to be their friends, heck, as far as they're concerned, we ARE their friends! Finding their niche back in the 1990's would be tough when the musical climate was in serious shift. 'We were just the stereotypical, small town guys with nothing else to do - starting a band to keep ourselves out of trouble.' recalls Reddick looking back. There was certainly no current trend to follow, every other band seemed to be genre jumping to try and catch 'the next big thing' without even know what 'the next big thing' was, leaving the members of Bowling For Soup with no option to just go out and have fun. Brought up on a heady diet of 80s John Hughes Movies, LA Hair Metal, Steve Martin comedy routines (which spawned the bands name) and hook laden punk rock, BFS hit the ground running on the simple blueprint - have a good time and pretty soon, everyone else will join in. This is no flash in the pan, gimmick band. Certified hit singles such as the Grammy Nominated 'Girl All The Bad Guys Want' and the US hit smash '1985' over consecutive releases, back to back, more than proved this. Even since leaving their longtime relationship with Jive Records over a decade ago, has seen the band thrive and go on the form their own cottage industry, recording and releasing albums on their own terms. 'We're in control of everythig now. If we decide we wanna do something, we just do it - we don't need to ask anyones permission. It also makes you feel super proud when you do something yourself and its a success', reveals Reddick. BFS has been, without a doubt, one of the pioneers of the fan funding music platform by taking fan interaction to the next level with each project proving more and more rewarding and successful for both the band and their fan base. Today that fan base consists of the most varied cross section of music fans you're likely to find at any rock concert. What began as spiky-haired, skateboarding teenagers at a Vans Warped Tour Show has somewhat changed. Those fans are still there but don't be surprised to now see the occasional middle aged rocker who picks up on the numerous Motley Crue references dotted within the songs, and even parents with their children can be seen singing along, no doubt thanks to the band serving up the theme tune to the hit Disney cartoon 'Phineas & Ferb' and Reddick being the unmistakable voice of the iconic Chuck E. Cheese character! Everybody LOVES Bowling For Soup - its plain to see! 2016 sees the release of the brand new, fan funded album, 'DRUNK DYNASTY', follow up to 2014s Greatest Hit collection 'Songs People Actually Liked - The First 10 Years' and the first album of new material since 2013's perhaps darker, reflective album 'LUNCH.DRUNK.LOVE.' The new 11 track album is bursting at the seams with undeniable feel good, smile inducing pop rock goodness such as 'Hey Diane' and 'Stop Doing That' right through to epic, hands in the air anthems like the epic 'Catalyst'. With no plans to slow up just yet - BFS are fresh from a huge UK Arena Tour alongside Steel Panther and Buckcherry and will be following 'DRUNK DYNASTY' with an acoustic live DVD/CD, 'Acoustic In A Freakin English Church', filmed at Union Chapel in London on their October 2013 tour. BOWLING FOR SOUP continue to re-write their own rule book. There are no boundaries for where they go next because they will always do it with honesty and a smile. That way, whatever the outcome, they can never fail!

A monthly party held in Tulsa, Ok featuring pop-punk, ska, emo music and more rad jams.

Located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains and in the heart of the Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is - like any small town in middle America - dominated by country music and Southern Rock fans. Yet since longtime college friends Daniel Basden (lead vocals, bass) and Steven Walker (electric guitar) joined forces in 2014 as When the Clock Strikes, those stereotypes have been blown to bits by their explosive pop-punk energy.  Driven by a powerful aesthetic blending mid-2000s emo/pop-punk and a few decades worth of classic video game scores, the band – which now includes drummer Blake Westerby – has electrified crowds in downtown Tulsa, at the Green Country Roots festival, Elephunk Music Festival and even a local GameStop for midnight release events. They also have performed in neighboring Missouri, Texas, & Arkansas. The band has followed up their 2016 release, The Better Friends EP, with their third EP, Overnight, in 2018.  The critical acclaim for the band, its intense energy, insightful songwriting and dynamic performances has been off the charts since the release of the project. Rick Jamm of Jampsphere Magazine wrote, “The lyrics are intriguing, metaphoric, and at times ironic. The songs are intense, loud and brilliantly arranged, with excellent vocals. If you’re looking for an evolution in punk, look no further than When the Clock Strikes.” Anthem Review pegs the trio’s genre and era-transcending excitement perfectly as it echoes: “(The Better Friends EP) is a five track release that sees the band dragging the mid-90s kicking and screaming into the present. The EP crosses unexpected barriers and fires through eras with absolute ease.”  “Lyrically,” Daniel says, “I think these songs are about our constant self-discovery and evaluation of the ever-changing relationships with the people in our lives. As time has gone on, the band has obviously become a larger part of our individual identities. Likewise, everyone else has shifts in priorities over time, especially with the onset of adulthood. So sometimes it feels like our ‘real friends’ that we love and trust are a ‘real drag’ because they are focusing inward rather than partaking in community. The title track, ‘Better Friends’ is definitely about the struggle of coexisting with people that we don't easily get along with. And ‘Redemption’ is a reminder to myself, and hopefully to others, that we all fall short, and perhaps we can empathize with each other because of our brokenness.”  The four core tracks of The Better Friends EP are complemented by a unique electronica-driven twist on the title track dubbed the “Lumpy Space Mix.” When The Clock Strikes had planned to do an all acoustic version of the song, but when Daniel brought in his MicroKorg synth to the session and started playing the song on it, their producer CJ Cochran built a whole hypnotic landscape around it. “It’s a departure from anything else we’d ever done, definitely very adventurous,” Daniel says. “It’s something different, yet it still fits.”  Those kinds of colorful departures are made possible by the trust and chemistry between Daniel, Steven and Blake. “Our friendship is an important element that it goes beyond our work in the band,” the singer adds. “I think everyone tries to be a team player. We spend time together outside of band activities when we can. We talk about our daily struggles. It's easier to push each other to do better and work through disagreements because we genuinely care about each other and trust each other.”

Anchorway is a Pop-Punk band from Locust Grove Oklahoma.