Midtown (band) explained

Midtown
Landscape:	yes
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Genre:	Pop-punk · punk rock
Years Active:	1998–2005, 2014, 2022–present
Current Members:	Gabe Saporta Tyler Rann Heath Saraceno Rob Hitt

Midtown is an American pop-punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Midtown was formed in November 1998 by three Rutgers University students, but quickly became a quartet. The group released three full-length studio albums and three extended plays before disbanding in 2005. In early 2014, Midtown reunited to play three shows, the first as a secret show at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn,^[1] and the two remaining at the Skate And Surf Festival. They reunited for more shows in 2022 as openers on My Chemical Romance's reunion tour.^[2]

Midtown have cited numerous bands and artists as influences, including the Get Up Kids, the Promise Ring, Lifetime, Jets to Brazil, Kid Dynamite,^[3] Lagwagon, Pavement, and Elvis Costello.^[4]

History

Midtown was formed in 1998 by Rutgers University students Gabe Saporta (vocals/bass), Rob Hitt (drums), and Tyler Rann (guitar/vocals).^[5] The group added Heath Saraceno on guitar/vocals, and used its roots in the New Jersey punk scene to develop a sound that combined elements of pop-punk and punk rock. Midtown began recording shortly after its formation. The band's first EP, The Sacrifice of Life, was released by Pinball Records in 1999, followed by a debut album, Save the World, Lose the Girl, released in early 2000 by the American independent record label Drive-Thru Records. The band was then upstreamed to major label MCA Records for its following album, Living Well Is the Best Revenge (2002).

Midtown's next album, Forget What You Know (2004), was produced while the band was not under contract with a record label and was later picked up by Columbia Records. This was the band's final studio album; they disbanded shortly after its release in 2005. Former frontman Gabe Saporta then became the lead singer of the alternative dance/synthpop band Cobra Starship, which disbanded in November 2015.^[6] Former guitarist Heath Saraceno joined the band Senses Fail in 2005 but decided to leave them in 2009 to pursue personal endeavors.^[7] Tyler Rann went on to sing for Band of Thieves with some friends but eventually left the music business and now works in the fashion/clothing industry.

Brief reunions

On February 17, 2014, Gabriel Saporta announced that Midtown has reunited and performed at the Skate and Surf Festival.^[8] On March 9, 2022, My Chemical Romance announced that Midtown would be a supporting act for the US leg of their reunion tour in fall 2022.^[9] As well as doing their own headlining shows for their 2022 Resurrection Tour,^[10] along with playing at the 2023 Adjacent beach festival in Atlantic City, New Jersey^[11]

Members

• Gabe Saporta – lead vocals, bass guitar (1998 - 2005, 2014, 2022-present)
• Tyler Rann – vocals, guitars (1998 - 2005, 2014, 2022-present)
• Heath Saraceno – vocals, guitars (1998 - 2005, 2014, 2022-present)
• Rob Hitt – drums, percussion (1998 - 2005, 2014, 2022-present)
• Benjamin Litchman – bass guitar (2023-present)

Discography

Studio albums

• Save the World, Lose the Girl (2000)
• Living Well Is the Best Revenge (2002)
• Forget What You Know (2004)

EPs

• The Sacrifice of Life (1999)
• Donots vs. Midtown Split 7" (2000)
• Millencolin/Midtown Split (2001)
• New.Old.Rare. (2002)^[12]
• We’re Too Old To Write New Songs, So Here’s Some Old Songs We Didn’t Write (2023)

Compilation appearances

• (2002; "Susanne" by Weezer)^[13]
• Picking Up the Pieces (2003; acoustic version of "Living in Spite")^[14]
• Liberation (Songs to Benefit PETA) (2003; "This House Is Not a Home")^[15]
• Punk Goes Acoustic (2003; acoustic version of "Knew It All Along")^[16]
• Punk Goes 80s (2005; cover of "Your Love" by The Outfield)^[17]

Post-Midtown projects

• Cobra Starship became the new project of Midtown's bassist and lead singer, Gabe Saporta. Their first single, "Bring It (Snakes on a Plane)", was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Snakes on a Plane. Their first album, While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets came out October 2006, their second album ¡Viva La Cobra! came out on October 23, 2007, their third album, Hot Mess, came out on August 11, 2009, and their fourth album, Night Shades, came out on August 29, 2011. The band ultimately broke up on November 10, 2015.
• Heath Saraceno played guitar and shared vocal duties in the New Jersey-based rock band Senses Fail^[18] until leaving the band after the 2009 Warped Tour.^[19] He and Senses Fail drummer, Dan Trapp, have a side-project called The Jettonnes.
• Rob Hitt works for Crush Management and also has a record label, I Surrender Records. He shares the label with friend, Ted DiBiase, and has signed I Am The Avalanche, Four Year Strong, Valencia, and Dragonette.
• Tyler Rann works in the fashion/clothing industry.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Midtown secret reunion show photo recap. Cassie. Whitt. Altpress.com. May 15, 2014. March 31, 2020.
2. News: Interview:Midtown recap. Jason. Tate. chorus.fm. March 9, 2022. March 9, 2022.
3. Web site: Libling . Margie . February 18, 2002 . Save the World, Lose the Girl: Life Through the Eyes of Midtown . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230830055828/https://ink19.com/2002/02/magazine/interviews/nyu3ay-midtown . August 30, 2023 . January 8, 2024 . Ink 19.
4. Web site: May 27, 2023 . Midtown Releases Final Tribute Song . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240108035908/https://www.newjerseystage.com/articles/getarticle2.php?titlelink=midtown-releases-final-tribute-song . January 8, 2024 . January 8, 2024 . New Jersey Stage.
5. Web site: Midtown - Biography. Proefrock. Stacia. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. January 24, 2012.
6. Web site: Interview: Cobra Starship « Change The Record . Changetherecord.net . 2009-10-12 . 2011-07-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091016070443/http://changetherecord.net/2009/10/12/interview-cobra-starship-2/ . 2009-10-16 . dead .
7. Web site: Guitarist Heath Saraceno To Leave Senses Fail (July 1, 2009) : News . PlugInMusic.com . 2009-07-01 . 2011-07-21.
8. Web site: Keagan Ilvonen . Midtown Reunite - News Article . AbsolutePunk.net . 2015-04-03.
9. Web site: Carter . Emily . My Chemical Romance announce new U.S. dates, tour supports including Turnstile, Waterparks . Kerrang! . Wasted Talent Ltd . 9 March 2022 . en.
10. Web site: NecessaryValuable977 . 2022-03-09 . Midtown Resurrection Tour announced! . 2023-01-12 . r/poppunkers.
11. Web site: Artists . 2023-01-12 . Adjacent Festival . en-US.
12. Web site: Midtown/The Movielife/Blueline Medic/Secondbest split CD released down under. Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Heisel, Scott. October 7, 2002. April 24, 2018.
13. Web site: Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer - Various Artists Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic. AllMusic. 2016-06-26.
14. Web site: Fall Apart Records tries Picking Up The Pieces. Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Heisel, Scott. April 27, 2003. April 24, 2018.
15. Web site: Liberation Compilation 2006. Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Heisel, Scott. June 25, 2006. April 24, 2018.
16. Web site: Punk Goes Acoustic release date, tracklisting finally set. Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Heisel, Scott. September 5, 2003. April 24, 2018.
17. Web site: Fearless announces Punk Goes 80s compilation. Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Paul, Aubin. April 11, 2005. April 24, 2018.
18. Web site: 2017-09-20 . For The Record: Quick News On Ciara, Game, Switchfoot, Cedric The Entertainer, Creed, Depeche Mode & More - MTV . . 2024-01-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170920190050/http://www.mtv.com/news/1509182/for-the-record-quick-news-on-ciara-game-switchfoot-cedric-the-entertainer-creed-depeche-mode-more/ . 2017-09-20 .
19. Web site: Punknews.org . 2009-07-02 . Guitarist Heath Saraceno to leave Senses Fail . 2024-01-24 . www.punknews.org . en.