Rivals

"One of the best Bay Area bands i've ever heard... a captivating experience in rock 'n' roll." -- Crave Magazine
"Rivals are one of the best independent punk outfits-locally or not-on the scene today, ripping out three-minute anthems full of set-to-explode energy that's seriously, uh, unrivaled." -- Metro
"Rivals has immense talent both as musicians and as song creators with the wild patterns they utilize effectively" --Powerslave.com
“It’s all or nothing tonight!”

Rivals’ hits the stage at full throttle, the band and our maniacal front man (think Iggy Pop meets James Brown) hijacking the crowd with a sound and energy that cannot be ignored. The song Corvallis, from which the previous quote is taken, tells the tale of Rivals touring through a new town, taking the stage as unknowns, and connecting with every last person in the room...essentially welcoming them all into the Rivals family. That’s the spirit of our band. We believe in putting on the most energetic live show possible and working hard to make that connection, even if it means our drummer has to play with a broken back (true).Unlike many of today’s heavy bands, Rivals’ blend of punk, rock, and metal delivers a positive outlook that screams “don’t just whine about it…let’s start a revolution!” We’ve built a support system through passion and honesty, giving each fan their money's worth at least, and a new favorite band at best. As a result, many of our fans have become close friends over the years. Rivals’ reputation is based not only on our live show, but also on our work ethic. Since our first show in 2001, we’ve played hundreds of shows, self-released five records, sold thousands of CDs, designed and sold our own merchandise, and have toured the Pacific Northwest three times. We’ve been fortunate enough to share the stage with punk legends such as The Dickies and TSOL, and be invited to play venues such as LA’s Viper Room and the Hard Rock Café in Denver. We’re also dedicated activists and organize shows for important causes which have included cancer research, the American Red Cross, Toys for Tots, voter registration and fund raisers to save local venues. Rivals' mission is to contribute to a scene that is more concerned with the music and bringing people together than it is with fashion and the money grubbing, cookie-cutter trend of the day.We firmly believe that good music, passion and honesty defy trends. Rivals is currently playing dates to support our recently released 5-song EP, “Back to Finish What We Started.” Our EP's first single, “Brick by Brick,” was named a “Top 10 Song of 2006” by college radio station KSCU 103.3 (Santa Clara University).