Fast roots, faster hooks

State Champs came up from Albany around 2010, building a crisp pop-punk sound with fast drums, bright guitars, and clean, big-chorus vocals. Their identity sits between classic Warped energy and modern pop melody, sharpened across The Finer Things, Around the World and Back, and Kings of the New Age. Expect a set that leans on pillars like Secrets, Elevated, All You Are Is History, and Criminal, with one acoustic pocket to reset the pace.

Mixed crowd, clear focus

The crowd skews mixed-age, from longtime pop-punk kids in patched denim to newer fans in team jerseys, and the pit tends to be lively but respectful. Look for enamel pins, well-worn Vans, and friends trading mic-shout moments on the barricade. Trivia corner: the band issued the stripped-down EP The Acoustic Things in 2014, and bassist Ryan Scott Graham runs Speak Low If You Speak Love. Note: any song picks and staging cues here are inferred from recent shows and could shift by city.

The State Champs crowd, up close

Denim, pins, and chant breaks

The scene leans friendly and self-policing, with quick pick-ups in the pit and plenty of room made for smaller fans up front. Style cues run from vintage Warped tees and scuffed Converse to hockey-jersey merch and snapbacks, plus enamel pins on denim. Expect loud group "whoa-oh" parts on Elevated and call-and-response to the "secrets" line before the last chorus of Secrets.

Community rituals, zero pretense

Fans trade setlist paper and drumstick stories, but the chatter is mostly about favorite bridges and which version of Around the World and Back hits harder. Merch tables draw interest for colorful vinyl variants and retro poster designs that nod to mid-2010s pop-punk art. You will see plenty of friends unpacking old tour lanyards and sharing playlists, a small ritual that keeps the community feeling current and connected.

State Champs on stage: how the songs hit

Hooks first, speed second

Live, State Champs favors clean, high-aiming vocals with tight double-tracks on choruses so the hooks feel wider. Verses ride palm-muted guitars and busy hi-hats, then open into big power chords where the bass locks the melody to the kick. They often push tempos a notch faster than record, which keeps the room bouncing without blurring the words.

Small tweaks, big lift

A small but telling habit: the band will tune down a half-step for some songs so choruses sit comfortably in Derek's range and the guitars punch harder. Expect a few rearrangements, like a half-time bridge in Losing Myself or an extended intro to cue claps before Secrets. The rhythm section is crisp rather than flashy, leaving space for gang vocals and quick guitar countermelodies. Visuals stick to bold color sweeps and strobes on downbeats, supporting a music-first focus rather than chasing spectacle.

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Neighboring lanes on the pop-punk highway

If you ride with State Champs, there is a good chance you also spin Neck Deep for the same punchy tempos and chant-ready hooks. Fans of The Wonder Years will click with the emotional urgency and the talk-to-the-room banter that keeps shows feeling personal. Knuckle Puck brings the jagged guitars and downstroke drive that mirror the rougher edge in some Champs cuts. For pop polish and big-room singalongs, All Time Low sits in the same lane, especially when the set leans melodic. If your taste tilts more heart-on-sleeve anthems with midtempo sway, Mayday Parade checks that box while still sharing crowds with Champs.