Punchline, the popular Pittsburgh pop-punk band, was set to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its second album, “37 Everywhere,” at Altar Bar back in July, but the club closed abruptly a few weeks before the date, bumping the show to Friday at the Rex.
There will be a certain deja vu to that as that is where Punchline played the release show for the album back in 2006. It was a breakthrough record for the band, which had formed as a trio in Belle Vernon eight years prior.
“I think pretty much every lyric of that album was inspired by something that one of us was going through, or something that we were all going through together,” says bassist Chris Fafalios.
“It was a tumultuous but also awesome time for all of us in one way or another, and I think that came through in the songs. We lived that album.”
They spent a month in New York making the record, their second for Fueled By Ramen, with producers Shep Goodman and Kenny Gioia, who had just produced a record for their friends Bayside.
“While making the album,” frontman Steve Soboslai says, “Bayside were in a van accident on tour where their drummer John ‘Beatz’ Holohan's life was taken. It sure struck a blow to our mindset. I like to think we channeled that energy into the making of the record. Then, the album took us on tour to Japan with Paramore (supporting us) and all over the U.S. multiple times with bands like Reel Big Fish and Bowling For Soup. So many good times.”
The album, powered by pulsing rockers like “Flashlight” and "The Fake, the Snake, and the Birthday Cake," peaked at, what else, No. 37 on the Heatseekers chart and put Punchline in the scene of rising bands.
Punchline, which consists of originals Mr. Soboslai (based in Nashville) and bassist with guitarist Trevor Leonard and drummer Cory Muro, will use the occasion to get the old crew back together.
“Trevor will be on stage the whole time, but the old fellas are coming back with a vengeance, in addition,” Mr. Soboslai says. “Greg Wood is flying in from Hartford to strap on his guitar, and our original drummer, P.J. Caruso, will be getting behind the drums on a few songs.”
Eternal Boy and My Cardboard Spaceship Adventure open the 7 p.m. all-ages show. Tickets are $17 to $20; www.ticketfly.com.
Scott Mervis: smervis@post-gazette.com; 412-263-2576. Twitter: @scottmervis_pg.
First Published: September 29, 2016, 6:37 p.m.