Saturday, September 13, will go down as a day in FC history books. With what has been called “the dream lineup,” Rishi and his Four Chord team brought the firepower this year, ending with the one and only Blink 182.
The festival returned to EQT Park, previously Wild Things Park, in Washington, PA.
Hitting the stage as the first band of the entire fest was Boy In Blue Stripes—a self-described “millennial pop punk band” from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Playing songs like “My Own Skeletons” and “T-O-X-I-C,” they brought a lot of energy to the Biggies Bullies Stage. Despite playing while people entered the festival, the band interacted with the crowd throughout their set and made sure to get the party started right. A running joke during the set was how the band members felt they needed pain meds for events in the pop punk scene now, like this event. The set was a great way to start it all off.
Second up, on the Smartpunk Records Stage, was a band who Four Chord fans know very, very well: Keep Flying, who hit the stage, soaring in the clouds per normal. They are one of my favorite bands to see each year because they bring such energy and fun to the concert. The New York quartet impresses the crowd wherever they go with great lyrics, hooks, and dance moves. As a band with a lot of energy and heart, it is no wonder Rishi and the Four Chord staff bring them back each year. They took the stage by telling the crowd to raise their hands and clap, and as instructed, they did. The band’s chief goal was to get the crowd “primed for one of the best festivals in the world.” They did just that, with heavy drum beats, mixed with trombone, saxophone and guitar riffs. The band admired the crowd’s attendance by saying, “You have a world of entertainment on your phone daily, and you chose to see us, live, thank you!” The goal of the band is to spread awareness that it is okay to lean on people when you need help, to love your loved ones and to make sure they know you appreciate them. You never know what someone may be experiencing, so just bring them joy and happiness. The band is currently on tour, just returning from their UK segment, so be sure to check if they are visiting a city near you!
Patent Pending took the stage next. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love their songs and seeing them live. Full of stage theatrics, frontman Joe Ragosta makes memories for the crowd every single show. Songs like “Punk Rock Songs“, “Hey Mario“, and “Wobble” all will get you moving and grooving. Joe will jump into the crowd at any given moment and crowd-surf with a middle finger pointed to someone in a playful manner (usually one of us photographers), make up a skit to sell some merch on the fly, do the Mario pose during Hey Mario, hype up his band mates, dance, sing, and more. He is the ultimate showman, frontman. This show was no different. With some fun stage lighting, the band joked with the crowd, crowd-surfed during the first song, created the first circle pit of the fest, and more! The band released their newest song, “Delirium“, on May 9, and the crowd at Four Chord ate it up. Patent Pending was very grateful to Rishi Bahl, the Four Chord Founder, and so happy that they could share the stage as an opener for one of their favorite bands of all time (Blink 182). This became very evident during the beginning of their song, “Punk Rock Songs”, where Joe got a bit choked up.
Charly Bliss was next up. Formed in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, the Indie pop band features siblings Eva (vocals, guitar) and Sam (drums) Hendricks, Spencer Fox on lead guitar and Dan Shure on bass guitar. Eva surprised me vocally as her voice is not at all what I expected. It doesn’t sound like your typical band vocal sound, and I really liked that. It reminded me of Gina from the movie, Empire Records, singing “Watermelon Sugar High.” You could definitely tell the inspiration Weezer had on the band from listening to them, even as a first-time listener, and a touch of one of last year’s headliners, The All-American Rejects. After a few songs, the band said, “Whenever we play festivals, we don’t know what we are going to get. Everyone has been so kind and so lovely, we are honored to be a part of it.” Their energy was a good fit for the fest, playing fast guitar riffs, bopping around the stage and playing with one another.
Four Chords founder, Rishi Bahl, took the stage next with his band Eternal Boy. Always bringing the energy, the band left no one in the crowd bored. The Pittsburgh-based pop punk band released an album called “Little Room to Breathe” in July 2024, landing them on tour with Bowling For Soup and two nomination ballots for the Grammys: Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Album. Shortly into the set, Rishi mentioned how he never thought he’d be able to book bands who he looked up to so much for his festival, like Blink 182. He looked like a proud dad, watching his baby (the fest) grow into a festival that many bands joined instead of Warped Tour. The band took the time to thank everyone who helped make year 11 possible. It would not have been an Eternal Boy set without a cover of a Taylor Swift song, and that was played near the end of their set. While only being a trio, they have a lot of firepower.
Home Grown, a band that’s been around since 1994, followed the electric set of Eternal Boy. Based in Orange County, California, the band released three full albums before disbanding in 2005. The band got back together nearly 20 years later without Darren Reynolds, who cited work and family commitments for his departure. Despite this, the band made sure the crowd got what they deserved, which was a pop punk party full of their usual satirical lyrics and songs. Back in Pittsburgh, 21 years after their last show in the area, they still had quite a few fans in the crowd. With some fun beats to tap your foot to and dance around, they played like they never had a hiatus. They played very well in sync, moving from mic to mic to give every crowd member a good view of the band throughout the set.
Driveways hit the Biggies Bullies stage next, a band that has been to Four Chord before. Based in Saugus, Massachusetts, the band blends pop punk and post-hardcore genres to create its own unique sound. The trio uses great drum and guitar riffs that go hand-in-hand with the vocals of each song. A perfect band for the crowd to mosh to, as many in attendance did. Going from nice melodic singing to screams provided a fun change from the previous bands. The band members vibe very well with their crowd and engage with them as much as they can. It is no wonder that they sell out venues when they tour. A high-energy band with high-energy songs, that is exactly what was needed halfway through day one of Four Chord.
Set Your Goals, formed in 2004 in San Francisco, was ready to rock the stage next. Coming to the stage after Knuckle Puck, they had one of two options: let the crowd die down from their energetic set, or keep that energy going and turn it up a notch or two. They decided on the second option with help from the crowd. As they came on stage, SYG chants began, thus giving the band all the energy they needed. Hearing the crowd chant for them is the best thing a band can hear. The punk rock band, much like Driveways, blended screaming and yelling into their punk rock sound. Moshing and dancing around began immediately, which fed into the intensity of the band’s performance. I was caught in the middle of the mosh pit by complete accident, and with help from those around me, I was able to get out and take a few photos before moving to a safe area. Set Your Goals has two lead singers who don’t play instruments, focusing all their energy on singing and crowd interaction. With two singers, it was fun to listen to them trade off verses and bring melodies together.
State Champs went on next, and the crowd was ready to keep partying when they took the stage. Adding to the fuel was vocalist Derek DiScanio. Discanio would jump and move along the stage constantly, seemingly thrilled to see so many people having the time of their lives. Saying how he recognized many of the faces, he thanked them for coming, and thanked Four Chord for their seventh invitation. To this point, it was one of the best crowd reactions, with crowd surfing, hands in the air, jumping and singing to the angsty choruses. Even with some technical issues, like a mic not working and a guitar not coming through, the band continued like nothing ever happened. Professionalism at its finest.
Legendary Bowling For Soup had some tough shoes to fill, but you don’t become legends without being able to keep up with the band before you. And then take it up 10 more levels. If you love the pop punk scene, this band needs no introduction. If you claim to love the genre, and you don’t know who they are, can you really claim to love it? Formed in 1994, this pop punk quartet has released hit songs like “Girl All the Bad Guys Want”, “1985”, and “Punk Rock 101.” It was a little bit of a breather for the fans, as the last few bands brought on the mayhem of moshing, but Bowling For Soup got the crowd singing like a sing-along fest. There were very few crowd surfers and no mosh pits. It was a welcome break from the insanity.
Hot Mulligan took the last set on the Smart Punk Stage for the night, as the next two after were on the Biggies Bullies stage. Coming from Lansing, Michigan, the quintet proved that they can still bring the energy. Clean guitar riffs, vocals, and songs from the past gave elder emos like me something that felt like an early 2000s show. With that, though, the band’s intensity matched the rest of the day’s bands. Even with an elder emo sound, moshing and crowd surfing still went on, and the band continued to bring the atmosphere of community; that we were all there to enjoy this music, together. Fan engagement was at an all time high with sing-alongs from songs of the past and the newer ones. The band also just released an album that has gone over very well on the charts.
Another Four Chord Alumni back to play this year was Knuckle Puck. The night before, fans got a preview of their set and sound during the pre-show kick-off party. Hailing from the state of Illinois, the band is known for giving a whirlwind of a good time. The band will go from heavy-hitting, high-octane songs to emotional and vulnerable songs in the blink of an eye. Their crowd engagement and connection with the audience is something I remembered when I first saw them at Four Chord, and it was something that stood out at that time. This year, I feel like they took that to a whole new level. Beach balls went flying into the fist-pumping crowd as the fans jumped and continued the vibe from the Driveways set. Seeing this energy, the band asked for the pit to open and have the time of their lives. They made sure to involve the fans, asking for more, and the crowd gladly accepted the challenge.
Jimmy Eat World. Need I say more? Creators of the songs “Sweetness,” “The Middle,” or even “Surviving.” They are a big staple in the music industry, let alone the emo scene. The trailblazers arrived to a thunderous cheer. Moving around the stage like they owned the park, you could tell they were basking in the stadium and stage lights, enjoying every little moment and smile they put onto the crowd. Frontman Jim Adkins would speak and the crowd would listen. It was magical to see how he could make thousands of people go silent, and just take in the moment. They reminded everyone in attendance how, after two decades of music, they can still deliver an emotional roller coaster of a set and remain relevant in an ever changing music industry.
Ending night one was none other than Blink 182. Formed over three decades ago, in 1992, the band grew to stardom from their pop punk scene through high energy shows and gritty songs. Anyone who goes to a Blink show, instantly will feel a bit of nostalgia. Early in the set, a crowd member fell and the band stopped to get medical staff involved. The band then used this to talk to the crowd impersonating Trump. In between songs, the band would often talk to the crowd, and just make it a very personable show. The stage banter is part of what makes Blink, well, Blink. Travis Barker on drums, need I say more. He is exceptionally good on them. Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge still sound amazing on vocals and guitar as well. Blink 182 packed the park, as it was a sea of people from pit in the outfield, to the stadium stands near home plate. The turn out was unreal. The performance, even better.
Four Chord day 1 is in the books. It was a hot and sweaty one, but no dust bowl or rain. That is a win in my book. Rishi finally got his dream to have Blink 182 play at the festival, and that was all everyone was talking about, besides the rivalry backyard brawl football game of Pitt vs WVU. As a Mountaineer fan, I am glad to say, WVU won in OT. Blink 182 brought the rock show to Four Chord. Day 2 all over again in the matter of hours! Can it beat day one? We will see!