Park is an indie rock band from Springfield, IL, formed in the ’90s. Known for blending emo, post-hardcore, and pop with thoughtful lyrics, they were often described as a mix between Alkaline Trio and Midtown. Despite frequent lineup changes, the core of the band remained vocalist/guitarist Ladd Mitchell and guitarist Justin Valenti. Their debut EP, Random and Scattered, was recorded in 1999 and released in 2000 on Middle America Records—by which time the band had already broken up and re-formed with a new lineup, including drummer Miles Logan and bassist Tim Costello. The EP caught the attention of Lobster Records (home to early Yellowcard), who signed them soon after. Park’s label debut, No Signal (2001), produced by Cameron Webb (Lit, Social Distortion), led to extensive U.S. touring. After some lineup shuffling—including the addition of bassist Alex Haycraft—they returned to the studio with Webb for 2003’s It Won’t Snow Where You’re Going, which was well received and followed by another year of heavy touring. In 2006, Park released their third album, Building a Better _____, featuring the emotionally charged “Mississippi Burning,” written about the murder of Olamide Adeyooye. Valenti departed post-recording to attend medical school, replaced by guitarist Aaron Bickle. However, in early 2007, Mitchell left the band for personal reasons, and Park played their final show in May of that year.  

There was a time when emo and post-hardcore thrived in packed, obscure venues—where every long drive to a show felt like a chapter in something bigger. The Junior Varsity came up in that world. Born in the Midwest, we cut our teeth in sweaty basements, packed VFW halls, and on the road with bands that shaped a generation— , , and . Whether crammed into DIY spaces, legendary clubs like Metro in Chicago, or festival stages, we were part of a scene built on raw emotion, loud guitars, and shows that left you hoarse for days. From The Great Compromise to Wide Eyed to Cinematographic, we poured everything into our songs. Then life happened. We stepped away—but the music never faded. You kept listening, and we knew it wasn’t over. Reuniting for sold-out shows across the Midwest and East Coast, the original lineup—Asa Dawson (vocals, bass), Nick Dodson (vocals, keys), Andy Wildrick (guitar), Chris Birch (drums), and Sergio Coronado (guitar)—bring the same energy as ever. Now, for the first time in years, we’re releasing new music. ANXIETY and GUILT dive into mental exhaustion, societal pressure, and the search for identity. First came ANXIETY, then GUILT—and one common theme ties them together. Stay tuned. Stream it, scream it—if you were with us back then, we’re glad you’re still here. If you’re just finding us now—welcome to the family.  

An emo-influenced pop-punk band from New Jersey, Tokyo Rose was formed in 2001, while singer and guitarist Ryan Dominguez and bassist Chris Poulsen were both students at Rutgers University. Though both were playing with other bands, the two shared similar musical interests and decided to launch a band of their own. Tokyo Rose played local shows when the members' busy schedules permitted and they booked tours to coincide with vacations and between-term breaks. Tokyo Rose also recorded a self-released EP, Chasing Fireflies, which became the band's calling card after Dominguez and Poulsen graduated and made the band a full-time priority. In 2003, during a tour of California, the band signed a deal with the independent label Sidecho Records, who released the group's first full-length album, Reinventing a Lost Art, in July 2003. Extensive touring followed, including playing the 2003 CMJ Festival, the 2004 South by Southwest Music Conference, and the 2004 Warped Tour. In 2005, after returning home from a tour of Japan, Tokyo Rose began work on their second album, New American Saint, which was released in October 2005. Their second album featured Fred Mascherino of Taking Back Sunday on the track "A Reason to Come Home Again" and was released on October 4, 2005 and landed them tours with Bayside, Taking Back Sunday, as well as performing on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour.