It’s that time again… can you believe it? The Never a Phase Network team is gearing up to bring you insider access to your favorite bands from Warped Tour Long Beach, and introduce you to the acts you didn’t know you needed to see. To kick things off right, allow me to introduce you to your first Ernie Ball Battle of The Bands Long Beach winners: Ivy Pacific.
The southern California five-piece came together organically, as so many of the best bands do, out of a shared love for music and the community that exists around it. With a little care and intention, they landed on a sound that feels like your favorite punk rock band spent a summer at sleep away camp with the hardcore kids. Since 2023, Ivy Pacific has delivered five ear-catching singles, and their debut album, More Than Just Getting By, which hit the streams late last year. With the promise of new music on the way, and their impending Warped Tour debut, Ivy Pacific is definitely one to watch.
Keep scrolling to check out my lightning round interview with Ivy Pacific. Be sure to follow along on socials (@IvyPacific on Instagram) and tune in to Spotify and Apple Music. Don’t forget to save the Under Exposed playlist on Spotify to listen to my favorites from Ivy Pacific, and the rest of the Under Exposed lineup!
Interview
Cameron Conrad sits down with Tommy, Thomas, Cory, Troy, and Jackson
What is your favorite memory from Warped Tours past?
My very first experience in 2012 was huge for me. The smaller band Kevin upgraded to the main stage that day in San Diego was Title Fight. That was the first set I ever saw at Warped Tour and that whole day opened a world of new music to me.
For 2015 Warped Silverstein and Beartooth did a combined set in San Diego and sold a special shirt for the day, it was the only $20 I had to my name at the time but I still own that Silvertooth shirt.
I never actually got the chance to attend Warped Tour before the initial hiatus. Playing MainStage at my first ever Warped will be a memory I cherish forever. I’m really looking forward to playing and experiencing everything the event has to offer!
Definitely getting to catch Linkin Park in Ventura in 2014. It was such an otherworldly experience to look into the crowd and see artists I looked up to watching the same band as me right before and after they played their sets.
I never got the chance to attend warped when I was younger, but I loved looking at the bill and discovering new artists and new music. It’s how I found out about Knuckle Puck!
Who are you most looking forward to seeing perform at Warped Tour Long Beach?
The Starting Line is the main one for me. Also excited to see The Story So Far, Third Eye Blind, Drain and Set Your Goals
I’ve never been able to catch From First to Last so that’s a huge one for me and of course Set Your Goals is always a treat. Also every Vana song I’ve heard is killer so I’m stoked to see her live
TSSF and PeelingFlesh are the two bands I’m looking forward to the most (don’t speak to me when PF plays FFWAS). PeelingFlesh especially has been on my list for a while now and I’m excited to cross that one off!
Boundaries and The Ghost Inside are up there for me. Last time I saw TGI was at their return show and that bands been a huge influence on everything I've done not just with music but in how I carry myself in my day to day life.
Everyone LOL. Honestly I’m a hardcore kid, so I’m mostly stoked to see Dying Wish, Guilt Trip, Drain and Pain of Truth.
If you could jump on stage and join in any set this year, who would you choose?
The Starting Line
It has to be Set Your Goals for me. They’re celebrating 20 years of their first album and it’d be so special to be a part of that. Mutiny!
If I could join any set it would definitely be Suicide Silence. Coming from a deathcore background, SS for me like most others was a huge influence both vocally and instrumentally and still continues to influence my writing to this day. RIP Mitch.
Definitely Good Terms. I love everything that band puts out and they're great people.
Oh man that’s super tough, there’s’s so many great artists playing but I have to go with Drain, those guys are so unbelievably sick.
If each of you was a Disney character, who would you be?
The Inside Out dad
I’ve been told I’m Eeyore a lot in my life so I can’t really argue with that
Goofy
Woody
Does Animal from the Muppets count?
(Writer's note... yes, it sure does)
If we gave out high-school superlatives today, what would each of you win?
Most Artistic Person to Walk the Earth
Most Likely to Beat You in a Random Card Game
Least Likely to Lose Anything
Most Likely to Lose Something
Most Likely to be Designated Driver
Who has the weirdest tour habits or pre-show rituals?
On this past tour, we ran everything ourselves so a regular pre-show ritual for me was to try find anyone who wanted to help take photos with the camera that traveled with us and teach them how it works. It actually led to us making new friends at some of these shows.
I wouldn’t call it weird but the rest of them are on a mission to find the best coffee spots in whatever city we’re playing, I’m just along for the ride and am happy with my pink Monster.
I’ve worked and played with a lot of musicians over the years. This group of guys is pretty normal compared to others I’ve worked with in the past. From dining and sleeping habits to the littlest things such as how we start our day with breakfast and coffee. Everyone has their own little things they do that collectively make touring and shows a lot of fun.
Cory will routinely decide to sleep in for an extra hour to skip his shower and just use Dude Wipes in the van. Gotta do what you gotta do to stay comfortable on the road I guess.
I’m not sure lol
Any new music or upcoming tours we should know about? Anything brewing behind the scenes you can give a hint about?
We got 2 new music videos from this current EP coming out very soon, we got some new singles in the works to follow up as well that’s some of my favorite songs we have.
If they let me have my way? More breakdowns.
As far as touring goes, we’ve been exploring the possibility of touring the east coast which is super exciting for me considering it’s my stomping grounds. As far as new music, we’ve got a few new songs in the works and we’re slowly but surely working on getting ready for another release cycle!
A lot of shows coming up in the future, hopefully more touring, and more getting to see the country and eventually the world!
Absolutely, we have some super sick music videos coming out soon that our frontman Tommy shot and edited and they look absolutely amazing. We have some new songs in the works too, and they’re bangers so I’m stoked to share those with the world soon