Stoke Signals(LA) // Bad Year(MKE) // Dead Familiars

Stoke Signals (LA)

Los Angeles melodic punk band Stoke Signals is here to make dying fun. Literally. Blending 90s/00s skate punk nostalgia with a fresh, raw energy, the band delivers anthemic hooks, punchy riffs, and a heavy dose of self-reflection. Their 2024 debut album, Make Dying Fun, earned praise from Punk Rock Theory, Punknews, and IDIOTEQ, solidifying their place in the modern punk landscape.

After a breakout year, the band signed with Hey!Fever Records in early 2025. Following a standout performance at Camp Punksylvania 2025 alongside heavyweights like The Lawrence Arms, Dillinger Four and The Vandals, they hit the road for the Bay Fever Tour. This West Coast run with labelmates Heartwells brought their high-energy live show to rooms from LA up to the Bay and everywhere in-between.

Their latest release, “Making Enemies “, a 4 song EP captures the band at their loudest and most collaborative. Self-recorded in their Culver City lockout and mastered by the legendary Paul Miner (Death By Stereo, Thrice), the record features the blue-collar anthem “Rockville Winters Build Character” and the ridiculously titled “The Beginning of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade With River Phoenix Still Gets Me So Hyped.” Making Enemies is a sweat-drenched testament to a band finding their peak.

For fans of The Lawrence Arms, Alkaline Trio, and Dude Ranch-era Blink-182 if they were a fest band. Whether you’re here to skate, scream, or actually feel something, Stoke Signals is your new favorite band.

Bad Year (MKE)

“Accessible Punk Rock” is Bad Year’s tagline, however, they treat it as a mission rather than a statement. As supporters of the nonprofit organization Punk Rock Saves Lives, the now four-piece, made up of Mike (guitar/vocals), Austin (bass/backup vocals), Andy (guitar/backup vocals), and Aaron (drums/backup vocals) are all major advocates for harm reduction and mental health awareness, while building a welcoming and inclusive environment. Every member of the band has their reasons to be thankful for every note that they play. Which can be seen and felt both on and off the stage. Each member is acutely aware of the importance of music to all. The main goal of the band is “to write music that will hopefully touch someone someway and maybe they can get something out of it”.

Bad Year’s relatable and heartfelt lyrics are indeed felt by Mike’s raw vocals, pinned by Andy’s furious guitar riffs and Austin’s melodic driving bass lines that are brought to life by Aaron’s unrelenting drums. Despite the name, Bad Year is shaping up to have an incredible 2025 as they will be bringing their craft to the entire United States and a possible trek overseas, all while promoting their latest release and prepping for the next.

Dead Familiars

Dead Familiars is a 4-piece rock n’ roll band from Madison, WI. The band, formed initially as an outgrowth of singer/guitarist Nate Karls’ solo work, plays a combination of hooky power pop, punk, and grunge with a propulsive rhythm section keeping the spine aligned and Stones-flavored guitar lines threaded throughout.