| The Fold | |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Years Active: | 2002 - 2003, 2005 - Present |
| Label: | Tooth & Nail (2005–2008) Independent (2002-2004), (2008–Present) |
| Associated Acts: | Showoff |
The Fold is an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States. The Fold formed in 2005, and promptly began work on their album This Too Shall Pass for Tooth & Nail Records. They have released four full-length studio albums and three EP's over their career, with a fifth full-length slated for release on September 9, 2022, titled Stereo Fire. Career highlights include surpassing 130 million views on their YouTube channel[1] and the nomination of Secrets Keep You Sick for a Grammy in the category of "Best Recording Package". Their single "Gravity" from the album This Too Shall Pass reached No. 1 on the CHR Rock charts. The band has more recently written themed music for sports and television, most notably the theme songs for Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, the Chicago Cubs, and all NFL teams.[2]
Their debut album Not Of This World was released 2003. This Too Shall Pass was their second album released on February 22, 2006, on Tooth & Nail Records. The follow-up Secrets Keep You Sick was released May 22, 2007. Secrets Keep You Sick was nominated for a Grammy under the "Best Recording Package" category, but the band lost to Cassadaga by Bright Eyes.[3] Directly following the release of Secrets, the band spent their summer on the Vans Warped Tour. The Fold played alongside friends Plain White T's and The Spill Canvas on their own dollar to support their 2008 sold-out UK tour. Upon returning to the U.S., The Fold parted ways with Tooth & Nail, and completed their fourth studio album Dear Future, Come Get Me with Zack and Kenneth (Cartel, All Time Low, Mayday Parade), who also recorded Secrets Keep You Sick.
In December 2009, the band released a self-shot music video for "Every Band in the USA", a parody of the Miley Cyrus hit "Party in the U.S.A.". The video has been viewed on YouTube nearly 500,000 times.[4] On June 29, 2010, the band released a video for the song "Neverender" of Dear Future, Come Get Me. The video was filmed at Willowbrook High School, the former high school of frontman Dan Castady and also of Tom Higgenson, the lead singer of the Plain White T's.
In November 2010, The Fold released the song "This Christmas" on iTunes, along with two unofficial, self made videos. One of which featured all of the best crowd reactions from Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things, 2010. The video can be seen here on their YouTube channel.
In January 2011, the band recorded a song titled "The Weekend Whip", the theme song for the Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu television series.[5] The band announced in early 2012 that they would release a full EP of ninja-themed pop rock songs aimed at the Ninjago demographic; rolling it out a single at a time via digital outlets, and then completing the process in late Summer 2012 with a full EP release, along with karaoke sing-a-long versions, and various other exclusive content entitled "For The Spinners".
In 2012, The Fold wrote and released "Let's Go Cubbies" which was adopted as the official song of the Chicago Cubs. It continues to be played during every Cubs broadcast on WGN Radio 720AM. The Fold performed live at Wrigley Field on opening day April 5, 2012.
The Fold's fifth album, Moving Past, was co-produced by the band and Sean O'Keefe, and mixed by J.R. McNeely. The album came out October 15, 2013.[6]
In 2016, The Fold was tasked with writing more music for the Cubs, including a song called "Let The Games Begin", which they played at Opening Day at Wrigley Field, and again at the final rally before the post-season. The Cubs went all the way and won the World Series that year, the first time in 108 years.
The Fold continue to write and record music in 2017, mostly for LEGO Ninjago, but there has been talk of late of a new full-length album.[7]
In the season 9 finale of Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, The Fold appear as LEGO Minifigures to congratulate the Ninja for defeating Lord Garmadon. Appearing as characters from the show, they sing "The Weekend Whip." Also in a short of Season 10 named "The Weekend Drill", they appeared as inmates in Prison.
"The Weekly Whip" is a series on YouTube, bringing new Episode every week starting 2 August with Episode "Arcadian Whip lost title + artwork".
On November 13, 2020, The Fold released a song titled “Young & Free”, their first song unrelated to Ninjago in seven years. On April 16, 2021, The Fold released “World Gone Mad”, another song that is unrelated to Ninjago.
On September 9th 2022, The Fold released their newest album titled "Stereo Fire".
The Fold has played over 500 shows since 2002 and toured non-stop in 2009.
The Fold, in minifigure form, appeared in the episodes "Green Destiny" and "The Weekend Drill" from Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu. Their songs are often heard as instrumentals in the series.