The Get Up Kids

Born in the mid-1990s out of the independent scene in Kansas City, Missouri, The Get Up Kids established themselves as a key band at the intersection of emo, melodic punk and indie rock. Their music is built around vocal melodies, propulsive guitars and introspective lyrics. Formed in 1995 by Matt Pryor, Jim Suptic and Rob Pope — soon joined by Ryan Pope and keyboardist James Dewees — they attracted attention with Four Minute Mile (1997), recorded in a DIY spirit rooted in the American hardcore and pop-punk scenes. They reached a wider audience with Something to Write Home About (1999), a turning point toward a more structured sound in which keyboard arrangements grew in importance without erasing the band’s punk energy. On a Wire (2002) and Guilt Show (2004) show a shift toward calmer, more deliberate compositions that incorporate indie rock and power-pop influences, before an initial breakup in 2005. Reunited in the late 2000s, they returned to recording with There Are Rules (2011) and continued touring and releasing EPs, including Kicker (2018), which set the stage for Problems (2019). That album reaffirmed the balance between nervous guitars, catchy choruses and themes of time, family and relationships. Active on American and international stages and often linked to the late-1990s emo wave, the band retains an identity defined by direct melodic work and a constant tension between punk urgency and pop sensitivity.