Early 2000’s emo and pop punk in the picturesque setting of an early summer Lake Tahoe day – that’s the experience of the Lake Tahoe Is For Lovers Festival which will be at Harvey’s Outdoor Arena on Saturday, June 24.
That amazing setting is no accident.
Curated by the band Hawthorne Heights, the Is For Lovers Festival series takes its name from the group’s 2004 song “Ohio Is For Lovers,” an angsty emo anthem that has weathered the years and nearly two decades later it remains a staple gracing Emo Nite playlists.
“Our model is to take our genre of music and put it in places where you wouldn’t normally see it,” Hawthorne Heights singer and guitar player JT Woodruff said. “We’re excited about the opportunity to go to some off the wall places like Hawaii, or we’re playing inside a cave in rural Tennessee!”
Woodruff is speaking from the band’s merch HQ where they are currently screen printing a run of shirts unique to the Tahoe show.
Since the dissolution of Warped Tour, there has been a hole in punk bands with emo and pop punk leanings hitting many areas of the country in a daylong festival format. But Woodruff is quick to state that Warped Tour had a tendency to be a bit of a grind for his band – performing every day in a different city and then driving each night only to repeat it all over again the following day. He says that the 12-date Is For Lovers Fest will take its time and spans from April through September. In fact, it’s the aspect of being able to connect with the local culture at each show that Woodruff says he’s most excited about.
“We partner up with a local coffee shop for our backstage coffee, and with a local donut shop for our VIPs backstage,” he states.
Tahoe Onstage photo by Shaun Astor
On top of the lineup of bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard, Bayside, and Plain White T’s who will be performing in Lake Tahoe. Woodruff was also quick to sing the praises of Reno alt-90s style punk band Bug Bath, who he also placed on the bill.
“That’s a priority; we want to have local bands,” he said. “Sometimes you just need that little opportunity, you need that lightning to strike, and we want to try to provide that platform for bands who might not have it.”
Speaking on the vibe of putting together a lineup of bands who Woodruff and Hawthorne Heights have shared stages and tours with for two decades at this point, JT laughs and says it’s all love these days.
“When you’re growing up, it’s kinda like high school: Everybody wants to be the prom king or the prom queen. Everybody’s competitive. Now it’s like a high school reunion, it’s the total opposite. We all know each other. We all respect each other. Anybody who’s been able to last this long is an absolute friend!”
Hawthorne Heights joins nine other bands mostly reigning from the early 2000s emo, punk and hardcore scenes, aiming to create a fun festival amidst a stunningly scenic backdrop for Lake Tahoe Is For Lovers.
Tickets are available at: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/17005E7FC14D8795
-Shaun Astor
