Class in Session: The Summer School Tour Hits Philadelphia
BY ANNA PORCELLAThis summer, a new touring festival-style lineup was announced by Idobi Radio, titled “The Summer School Tour.” The lineup features six bands at the forefront of becoming the next big faces in the scene - two openers (letdown. and Honey Revenge), and four headliners (Magnolia Park, Scene Queen, The Home Team, and Stand Atlantic). With a completely fresh lineup and the four shared headline slots, the tour encouraged the discovery of new artists and connection of fan bases. In addition, the Summer School Tour took a unique angle with the coheadliners - rather than a set time for each band, each headliner would rotate from night to night. This Thursday, the tour arrived in Philadelphia, bringing in a wide range of fans for each band and an evening filled with crowd surfing.
The first headliner slot went to The Home Team, a four-piece self-proclaimed “heavy pop” band. With roots in pop punk and metal, The Home Team has crafted a blend of genres into a form of rock filled with energy. This signature sound comes to life with the release of their third album “The Crucible of Life,” which dropped on the third day of this tour.
The second headliner was Magnolia Park, a five-piece pop punk band that draws their influences from emo, hip-hop, and electronic music to create a genre-bending discography. Since their debut album “Baku’s Revenge” in 2022, they have continuously released experimental records that still remain cohesive.
Trading out Magnolia Park’s dark aesthetic backdrops for pink and glittery ones is the third headliner of the night - Scene Queen, dressed head to toe in equally matching pink. Her aesthetic is not to be confused with her incredibly powerful sound, one she has coined “bimbocore,” a form of metalcore with feminist tones. With the release of her debut album in June, titled “Hot Singles in Your Area,” Scene Queen combines witty lyricism and feminine rage with the heaviness of metal and the catchiness of dance pop.
Closing out the night was Stand Atlantic, Australian four-piece pop punkers. Gearing up for the release of their new album “Was Here” in August, the band has taken to experimenting with their sound and bringing in electronic influences. The band is incredibly engaging, and despite being the final act of the night, the crowd responds in turn.
The development of this tour was made to address the Warped-Tour sized gap in the scene - a way to boost up and coming artists to a larger audience at an affordable price. In addition, each of the artists on the lineup have proven time and time again that they are committed to providing a safe space for younger fans; the diversity, inclusivity, and positivity fostering a new era of the scene.
