The “Is For Lovers Festival” launched in 2022, with Hawthorne Heights, the founders and curators of the annual outing, bringing the touring trek to three cities for its inaugural run. In 2023, “Is For Lovers” expanded to 10 cities, spanning the U.S, from Hawaii to the Outerbanks of North Carolina. Named after Hawthorne Heights’ iconic song, “Ohio Is For Lovers,” previous performers have included Jimmy Eat World, Thrice, Alkaline Trio, Underoath, Yellowcard, The Story So Far, State Champs, Bayside, Thursday, and more. Beyond the music, “Is For Lovers” delivers an all-around experience for attendees, fostering collaborations with local vendors, hosting a diverse, regionally-inspired marketplace, and featuring a range of activities such as the renowned “Dunk-a-Punk” booth. With its blends of music, camaraderie, and entertainment, “Is For Lovers” stands as a vibrant celebration of community and happiness.

Since emerging in 2003, Southern California’s Stick To Your Guns—Jesse Barnett [vocals], Andrew Rose [bass], George Schmitz [drums], Chris Rawson [guitar], and Josh James [guitar]—have merged socially conscious and outspoken lyricism with hardcore energy and hammering metallic force. They took a bold step in a new direction on their sixth full-length album, True View [Pure Noise Records] by expanding their grasp of melody, amplifying the haunting clean vocals, and incorporating actual phone conversations to thread together a narrative of self-realization. It was only a matter of time before they got this personal. Through countless shows and a steady stream of music, the band attracted a devout fan base. Among many accolades, Diamond would bow at #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart in 2012 as 2015’s Disobedient went Top 100 on the Billboard Top 200 and clinched #2 on the Hard Rock Albums Chart. Most recently, the 2016 EP, Better Ash Than Dust, repeated the #2 debut on the Hard Rock Albums Chart and earned acclaim from Alternative Press, Revolver Magazine, New Noise Magazine, and more as the single “Universal Language” ignited over 1.5 million Spotify streams. Moreover, 2017 saw Stick To Your Guns make history, becoming “the first American hardcore band to play East Africa” in Nairobi, Kenya. Along the way, Stick To Your Guns toured across the globe with everyone from Every Time I Die and The Amity Affliction to BlessTheFall and Being As An Ocean in addition to multiple stints on the Vans Warped Tour. True View will once again bring them around the world in 2017.