NOBODY WANTS YOU TO KNOW ABOUT JOYWAVE

Joywave’s recent concert at the unique and off-the-wall venue Ferris Wheelers in Dallas, Texas was a testament to their exceptional musical abilities and showmanship. The band’s intricate compositions and infectious rhythms were on full display, captivating the audience from start to finish. Somehow, even though there were little to no structures to bounce sound off of and create an immersive experience, Joywave and their crew pulled it off – and with gumption.

One of the best things about this band is frontman Daniel Armburster’s ability to make you feel like there’s a direct back and forth between each audience member and himself. With joking commentary on the nutty logistics of putting on this particular show and making the absolute best of what you got, Armbruster kept the audience laughing and screaming along with each reference and lyric.

Typically for their shows on the Permanent Pleasure tour, named so for their newest album, they have quite the set up with an enormous rotating cat, phone calls on stage from God only knows where, beautiful lighting effects, and activities that call for physical engagement from the audience. In one instance, they had some fans walk across the stage to receive honorary diplomas as they were playing at a venue where high school graduations were previously held. But what do you do when you are playing a show with a giant ferris wheel that very much creates a feeling of being at the state fair in the Texas heat? You create a one night experience of the “Permanent Porkers Tour,” and hand out traditional BBQ and fries from the delicious restaurant on site.

This show felt very much like the beginning when a band first makes it’s rounds through local fairs and small venues to cut their teeth and build a following. But this was different. This was refined and much more impactful as they already have a strong following of fans that know every lyric and that will reach out to other fans in other countries to buy merchandise for them that is unique or may not be available by the time Joywave makes their way through. They honestly have some of the most distinct merchandise on the market with accoutrements that compliment the theme of each album. For their Cleanse album the vinyl was a tri-color soap splatter vinyl with a pop-up gatefold that was the dashboard of a vehicle going through a car wash. It was a metaphor of going into an event beat up and worn out but still with a solid and clean interior and bone structure, and coming out feeling clean and new with a fresh outlook of possibilities.

Some versions came with a liquid-filled soap vinyl that actually looks like the soap moving in a car wash when spinning on a record player. In anticipation of their latest album, they released a vinyl that was the shape and roughly the size of a human brain with the singles, “Brain Damage,” and, “Sleepytime Fantasy.” And yes, they actually play when you spin them.

So with all that said, you have a band who has a great stage presence, songs that comment on modern life and connect with everyday human struggles and successes with body moving beats, and direct fan engagement and loyalty. They’ve worked with knockout acts like The 1975, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bastille, Brandon Flowers, IDKHow, Kopps, Big Data and more. Their art is unparalleled and their music videos are hilarious and unmatched. So something old and new fans walk away from each show asking is, “How the heck are they not more famous yet?”

Nobody Wants You To Know About Joywave.

Even the Pandemic of 2020 tried to hold them back.

They had been selling tickets to their first headlining tour months before March of 2020, and even had sold out so many shows that they had to keep adding more to the tour. But as some of you may remember, that was the month all touring and social events were forced to stop. Everyone was hurt by this blow to a highly anticipated tour. But it was a hit that would not stop these guys from moving forward but force them to change direction and try something challenging and new- Creating art with others when you aren’t allowed to engage with others.

Even through those dark times, they found a way to keep making meaningful music and beautiful art. They brought back an old friend, Matty Vogel, who now works along side with artists like Billie Eilish and 30 Seconds To Mars, to create their videos and visuals for the Cleanse Album and the artwork is phenomenal.

Their music is even featured in video games like Madden, Fifa, Need For Speed, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Pro Evolution Soccer. But what’s funny is, when at a show, you hear new fans in the crowd say things like, “I didn’t know they sang this song!” So even the video game industry doesn’t want you to know about Joywave! Just kidding of course. But it speaks to the tenacious effort and desire for the band’s success.

So what other ways can fans help these guys push past the tipping point?

Have you ever followed a band from the beginning and loved every small venue or club show you attended because it was intimate and authentic? Those are my absolute favorites. You feel like you are directly supporting the band and like they are grateful for it.

I’ve been there when a band goes from club shows to a sold out arena performance. While you are so happy for their success, that transition sucks. Not for the artist, but for the fans. It’s a huge win and milestone for the band, but for the fans, when the price of your club ticket can only afford you nosebleed seats, it can feel defeating. But hear me out. Some of these bands see that gap and try to bridge it. While touring with arena sized shows and larger artists, they will schedule small venues on nights off from the main tour to give loyal fans an opportunity to truly connect and get to see their favorite band up close and personal. Those are the shows that keep us loyal and coming back for more. Even as they progress, things like fan presales go a long way in loyalty and dedication from the fans. Joywave has shown time and time again how they make time and consideration for their followers. With each of their larger shows they have created fan presales that are free just by registering and that provide a fair priced ticket option.

So if the reason nobody wants you to know about Joywave is that they will get too big and disconnected, throw that fear out the window. By spreading the word and streaming their music on replay or requesting their songs on the radio during all requests lunch hours, fans can get more of what they want, Joywave. Continuously sharing their music and content to bring in new fans is detrimental to keeping any band going. It’s what makes new albums and more chances to see them for years to come possible. It’s what creates the trend we are seeing now of incredible bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Duran Duran being able to tour and sell out shows many years later. Design the potential lineup of shows you want to see in the future by supporting the artists you love now so that they stay in circulation and go on and do what they do best, Create Art.

Be sure to catch them for the remainder of their US tour in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York before they head to the UK between October 30- November 17. https://joywavemusic.com/tour