The Emo Social Club Podcast

"When I'm writing...It's so detached. You can be wrong for an hour, and you can close your eyes and think for an hour, and it's for you to think of what's good. If I spent that hour thinking about what someone else might think about that thing, that's a wasted hour."

This week, Brian and Lizzie are catch-up after Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C. and release the final interview from the fest with the alt-act, The Wrecks. 

The Wrecks for a candid, chaotic, and laugh-out-loud conversation on our signature red couch. From a heated debate over whether Limp Bizkit qualifies as "emo" to deep-dives into their musical evolution, this interview covers it all. The band gets real about their songwriting process, their favorite touring memories, and the absolute reality of navigating the current music landscape. 

"All these bands and artists who have way more than us—way more followers, way more monthly listeners—are selling 50 tickets or canceling their tour because it's not selling. And we go out there and we fucking rip and our fans are there, and they're screaming every word... It's fucking awesome."

"I feel like I got into the scene—I'd show up in my skinny jeans, my studded belt, my purple and black striped sweatshirt. My sister would straighten my hair. I felt like that was the moment where I started really getting into like, this scene. That's the scene."

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It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

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"I think that whole 'you don't belong in this festival'—that's a manufactured media thing by people on the outside. Because when you go backstage... everybody is just fucking cool." 

This week, Brian and Lizzie are catch-up after Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C. They break down the festival’s enduring backstage community, why international crowds embrace diverse lineups better than anyone else, and feature exclusive, rapid-fire interviews with some of the scene's biggest names.

We check the pulse of the scene through unfiltered conversations with Hoobastank, Super Sometimes, Rose Colored World, Saturday's at Your Place, and Deathbyromy. Our guests analyze everything from the nerve-wracking reality of playing a festival set 20 minutes after doors open, to the deep-rooted cultural representation currently reshaping pop-punk in 2026. Whether you're a seasoned Warped veteran or a newcomer to the scene, join us for an electric look at why this community still holds up today.

"I think that whole 'you don't belong in this festival'—that's a manufactured media thing by people on the outside. Everybody is just fucking cool."

"We played 20 minutes after the doors, and we were scared nobody was going to be there. Five minutes before our set, I looked out and there was nobody... and then we walked out and it was like a billion people."

"The scene—the barriers in between scenes are breaking. Let's break these walls, people!"

JOIN THE CLUB!
Youtube: https://emosocial.club/youtube
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Facebook: https://emosocial.club/facebook
Twitter: https://emosocial.club/twitter

Support the Show:
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Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
Support us and watch exclusive episodes: https://emosocialclub.tv
It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

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"This record is objectively for people who were in high school between 2006 to 2008. You cannot avoid how f***ing good Martin Johnson is as a songwriter."

This week, Brian and Lizzie celebrate the nearly 20-year anniversary of Boys Like Girls' self-titled debut album. They break down the band's PureVolume and MySpace origins, Martin Johnson's undeniable songwriting chops, and why these pop-punk anthems still hold up today.  

Take a trip back to 2006 as the Emo Social Club dives into Boys Like Girls' massive self-titled debut album. Brian and Lizzie explore how four kids from Massachusetts leveraged PureVolume and MySpace to build a devoted fanbase before ever signing a record deal or hitting mainstream radio. We analyze the album's incredible staying power, from the delayed success of iconic singles like 'The Great Escape', 'Hero/Heroine', and 'Thunder', to fan-favorite deep cuts like 'Five Minutes to Midnight'. Plus, we discuss Martin Johnson’s undeniable earworm melodies, the album's sunny pop-punk production by Matt Squire, and how Boys Like Girls seamlessly bridged the gap between the emo scene and TRL pop stardom. Whether this record was the soundtrack to your high school summers or you're discovering it for the first time, join us to find out if it earns a perfect 10/10 rating.   

 

"This record is objectively for people who were in high school between 2006 to 2008."

"You cannot avoid how f***ing good Martin Johnson is as a songwriter. He knows how to write a song. He knows how to write hooks."

"They uploaded the demos to MySpace and PureVolume and quickly hit number one on the PureVolume top unsigned artist chart. By the time their self-titled debut arrived in August 2006, the audience was already there."

JOIN THE CLUB!
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Support the Show:
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Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
Support us and watch exclusive episodes: https://emosocialclub.tv
It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

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"It's not cool to be sad. Like, there needs to be light at the end of the tunnel. And at the end of the day, we get to play something like Warped Tour. So while we are united in the fact that we all share similar experiences, you do have to still view life with optimism and know that it gets better." 

As we wrap up our coverage from this weekend at Warped DC 2026, here's a rewind to our talks with acts such as Arrows In Action, The Home Team, Huddy and more from Orlando Warped 2025.

Episode Highlights

The Home Team's R&B Infusions: The band discusses how their heavy background (prog-metal, hardcore, and deathcore) paradoxically mixes with modern R&B vocal styles to create their unique alternative sound. They emphasize their commitment to giving independent local bands openings slots on their sold-out dates.

Derek Whibley’s Walking Disaster Launch: Whibley details the origins of his new apparel and creative brand, Walking Disaster, which rolled directly following the conclusion of Sum 41. He highlights how the designs are highly collaborative, using direct fan feedback and references to past lyricism.

Girlfriends’ Nostalgic Inspiration: Travis from Girlfriends dives into the emotional weight of their record There Goes the Neighborhood, describing it as a sobering realization of growing up, acknowledging parental imperfections, and capturing youth nostalgia.

Senseless Fail & the Emo Mantle: Buddy from Senses Fail shares a candid perspective on the genre's history, claiming the band proudly carried the "emo" mantle during a time when other third and fourth-wave bands actively resisted the label.

Arrows in Action on Balance and Coping: The band details how their personal music style balances dark, brooding lyrical topics surrounding mental health with vibrant, upbeat instrumentation and dynamic live humor as a primary coping mechanism.

Oxymorons on Representation: The group highlights the massive significance of racial diversity and representation in the alternative scene, pointing out the explicit pride that fans and personnel of color express when seeing them perform on stage.

JOIN THE CLUB!
Youtube: https://emosocial.club/youtube
Instagram: https://emosocial.club/instagram
TikTok: https://emosocial.club/tiktok
Twitch: https://emosocialclub.tv
Discord: https://emosocial.club/discord
Facebook: https://emosocial.club/facebook
Twitter: https://emosocial.club/twitter

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts/Spotify
Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
Support us and watch exclusive episodes: https://emosocialclub.tv
It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

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"It didn't feel like I'm watching a show or I'm watching these members play these songs. It felt like I was in a one and a half hour thrill ride."  

Brian breaks down why Bring Me The Horizon's Next Gen tour is a PS1-fueled thrill ride, and the hosts discuss the scene's reaction to Beartooth's Caleb Shomo coming out as gay.

Plus, Brian and Lizzie get into the controversial new Ozzy Osbourne interactive AI avatar—is Sharon Osbourne just securing his legacy, or is this the ultimate metal cash grab? And to cap it off, they review Drake's attempts to recover from the Kendrick Lamar fallout, noting that none of his newest tracks pass the song of the summer test.

It’s another auspicious day of infotainment on idobi Radio. We’re teaching you things you didn't know, even if you wouldn't pass a college course with this info.

 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

• BMTH's Live Show Evolution: Why the Next Gen tour feels like a 90s video game fever dream.

• Caleb Shomo Comes Out: Navigating the metalcore community's response to the Beartooth frontman, and addressing lingering homophobia in the scene.

• The Ozzy AI Avatar: Debating the Osbourne family's latest IP move and the weird future of legacy acts.

• Drake Post-Kendrick: Why none of Drake's new drops are claiming the Song of the Summer title.

JOIN THE CLUB!
Youtube: https://emosocial.club/youtube
Instagram: https://emosocial.club/instagram
TikTok: https://emosocial.club/tiktok
Twitch: https://emosocialclub.tv
Discord: https://emosocial.club/discord
Facebook: https://emosocial.club/facebook
Twitter: https://emosocial.club/twitter

Support the Show:
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts/Spotify
Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it
Support us and watch exclusive episodes: https://emosocialclub.tv
It was never just a phase. We connect the Myspace era to today's waves.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.