Rain In July is an emo pop-punk band from Colorado. From as way back as their high school years, they got to know each other at different times, but have each known each other collectively as a five piece band for well over two years. With influences that span from Mayday Parade to The Wonder Years, it’s kind of impossible to not give this band a decent listen.

Playing music together as a different band, a different project sparked in September 2015 which would take them in another direction than what they previously had been working on. “We all loved music and wanted to come together and have a great time and make something meaningful.” Not being signed currently, they think that being a part of the Colorado music scene is one of the best things that could have happened to them. (With a band like theirs, I would tend to think so, too.)

Many bands tend to break up after high school, whether it be from going to college, moving away, or just working too many hours to keep up with appearances and practice. Fortunately, Rain in July is not one of those bands. Going through all the growing pains of trying to be a successful band, Rain in July is also pretty honest when talking about the road to becoming a band and how much they have grown despite still being relatively new. “When we first started playing music together, prior to this project, we were a metal band. We were really bad so we decided to disband that group. When this project first started, we were very confused about what direction to go in. We played classic rock, pop punk, even blues before we really decided what genre to play.”

The vocals for this band are what sets this band apart slightly from others in the genre, having infectious melodic overtones and a bit of a raspy undertone to complete it. There is no way one can avoid listening to this band. Instrumentally, songs like “Farewell My Dear” bring me back to shades of old New Found Glory when they had first started out, showing that this band really does their homework when it comes to making musically nostalgic tracks, while also putting a little bit of themselves into their music as well.

It all goes without saying that I expect good things from this band. They have an energy in their live shows that makes people want to sing along and be a part of the show. Most of all, they are humble and grateful even for the small successes they have had in their lives. “The goal for the band is to get to a platform where we can share our message. Fame and fortune is subjective, but that isn’t the reason why we formed the band. Obviously, as a band in this scene, the goal is to play a summer on Warped Tour, but we just want to write some great songs that speak to people, play some really fun shows and have a great time doing it.” You can find Rain in July’s music on facebook.com/raininjulyband and on raininjuly.bandcamp.com. Happy Listening!

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Questions from the interview:

What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
The name of our band is Rain In July. It originates from the Neck Deep EP of the same name. We changed it in March from our former name “The Lapses” because we were going in a more pop punk direction and wanted to show that with a pop punk band name.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourselves?

Griffin Tobey: Vocals, 17, University of Colorado Boulder
Reilly Ng: Guitar and Vocals, 18, University of Colorado Denver
Yuta Young: Guitar, 16, Monarch High School
Sam McCrosson: Bass, 18
Ethan Knight: Drums, 17, University of Colorado Boulder

What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?

We consider ourselves to be emo pop punk but we pull from many influences in order to form a unique sound. Some of our major influences are (but not limited to) Mayday Parade, New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, Seaway and The Wonder Years.

How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?

We have known each other as a five-piece for two years, but we all met and formed connections at different times. We all went to the same high school, which certainly allowed us to interact and make music together.

When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?

We started playing music together back in 2014 as a different band, but the current project was formed in September 2015. We all loved music and wanted to come together and have a great time, and make something meaningful.

Have you guys been signed yet to any major labels? Are you a member of any music organizations?

We are not currently signed to a label. The only music organization I would consider us to be a part of is the Colorado music scene which, in my opinion, is one of the best music families we could have asked to end up in.

What can you tell me about your instruments?

As the vocalist, I know very little about the rest of my band’s instruments and I know I’m gonna get grief for saying that. My microphone is a Sennheiser and I really enjoy how the mic sounds as well as how it feels when we perform. I chose it due to it coming highly recommended. I had used it a couple times as a house mic and I enjoyed using it.

Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?

We have performed all over in Colorado, from the 60 cap Down Space in Louisville to The Roxy in Denver when opening for Alien Ant Farm. Personally, my favorite venue we have played is Seventh Circle Music Collective in Denver. It is one of the coolest atmospheres I have ever been a part of and they treated us exceptionally well when we played there. That, in fact, is the destination of our next show. On July 30, we are playing Seventh Circle with our good friends in Tonight We Rise. We are all very excited for it.

Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?

We change our set list every time we play in order to make every set exciting. My personal favorite song we play is our song “Farewell, My Dear.” We recently released that song as a demo and performing that song is so much fun. We love to play covers due to us not having any professionally recorded songs. In order to get the crowd singing along we usually have to play covers. Some of our favorite covers are "First Date" by Blink 182 and "Stacy’s Mom" by Fountains of Wayne.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?

We write all songs together. We write a lot about hope and overcoming something that plagues you. I think that the individual topics we write about will change as our sound continues to mature but the overall message of hope will not.

Could you briefly describe your music-making process?

We gather in our practice space and either begin a song with a riff or lyrics. After that, we just build on it and tweak it until it becomes a full song.

What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?

We rehearse every Tuesday and Thursday as well as once on the weekends if we don’t have a show. Practice often begins with some covers to warm up and then we either run through a set list if we are preparing for a show or we write if, like now, we have some time off.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

When we first started playing music together, prior to this project, we were a metal band. We were really bad so we decided to disband that group. When this project first started, we were very confused about what direction to go in. we played classic rock, pop punk, even blues before we really decided what genre to play.

What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

The biggest challenge for us as a band is simply getting our name out there. This is a problem that plagues a lot of small local bands and it is a long process, but one that we are enjoying.

Where do you see this band going in the future? Does fame and money have anything to do with being with your band or is it something much more?

My goal for the band is to get to a platform where we can share our message. Fame and fortune is subjective, but that isn’t the reason why we formed the band. Obviously, as a band in this scene, the goal is to play a summer on Warped Tour, but we just want to write some great songs that speak to people, play some really fun shows, and have a great time doing it.

What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

There are always other people in your scene that want to form a band. Go out to local shows and network, post on Facebook, do whatever it takes to find people that enjoy the same type of music as you.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?

You can find our band at facebook.com/raininjulyband
We currently have a rough demo of our song "Farewell, My Dear" at raininjuly.bandcamp.com
In the coming months, we are writing songs to go into a professional studio later this year, so stay tuned.

Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?

Without our parents we wouldn’t have the opportunities to do what we love to do, so thank you so much for that. Also, thank you to every band or venue that has put us on a bill. We really appreciate it.

Any last words?
The coming year is going to be an incredibly exciting one for Rain In July, and I’m so stoked to be a part of it.