In a demographic not keen on the punk rock genre, Ann Arbor’s Blind Pig was packed with hungry area teens eager for a hearty serving of SoCal’s Homegrown Saturday. The road-warriors clocked in at the bar to chat before their gig. “This is a college town right? So there’s a lot of pussy and stuff,” says John Tran, when asked why they chose to play here, a first time for the touring veterans. Tran stands out amongst his peers, a rarity. “Having Tran in the band is like eating filet mignon with chopsticks,” says bassist Adam Lohrbach. “I’m not a typical Asian,” quips Tran, “I drink beer and date white girls.”
Homegrown’s new album, Kings of Pop, is “aggressive pop rock,” explains Lohrbach. “We still have the catchy feel to it, like the choruses, but it’s more rock, more in-your-face,” he adds. Some things haven’t changed however, like Homegrown’s audience. “As we get older, our fans stay the same age,” notes Tran. The band is going on their ninth year in August and they’re more energized than ever. As their openers wrapped up and the Buds are downed, the guys wade through sweaty fans and leap to action. Moshing, melodic jumping and stage-dives ensue.
Homegrown is skipping their regular spot on the Warped Tour this year to take part with young Drive-Thru bands on the label’s own headliner in the fall. Look for them with fellow seniors Allister and freshmen like the Starting Line, the Movielife and Early November.
See more Homegrown photos in the Photo Gallery.