Written Sept 7-10 2025
This article is dedicated to the memory of Kyle Maite Sept 10 1985 - Sept 20 2022
May his spirit thrive through everyone!
Hit The Lights is back!
Dust off the statues in Lima, Ohio, because 309’s finest are here to Stay Up All Night with the new single “Get Your Ass to Mars!” The track is the title song for the upcoming four-song EP released September 5th, recorded at The Audio Pilot in New Jersey and produced by Rob Freeman, formerly of Hidden in Plain View.
Sidenote: It is taking me everything not to shout “Get your ass to OMAR!” or “Gonna get your ass, Omar!” I am convinced HTL’s guitarist Omar named this title track.
Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting an exclusive livestream with Nick from Hit the Lights and the NAPNET crew for RICKY’S SONG CLUB!! The stream covered everything from Don’s Sandwich Shop in Jersey to every boy’s childhood daydream of the “Dirrty” music video by Christina Aguilera. Most importantly, we talked about Hit the Lights’ future plans, from upcoming shows to the new EP titled Tomorrow's Gonna Hurt! By this point, I had just gotten approval from the “Mrs.” to take the three-hour road trip to the music video shoot when Nick encouraged any and all of us to attend and to hit him up with a message. Huzzah to a guest list +1 spot!
My adventure to Indy actually started prematurely on the Thursday before the Sunday shoot, when an excited Ricky, almost done with the work week, was blessed with nature's gift of 11 bee stings. Ah, the life of a pop-punk pest control technician. The next three days I was Cameron from Ferris Bueller in the car, debating if he should stay or go. Of course, I chose the latter.
In 2008, Hit the Lights had to make the tough decision to continue when faced with the crossroads of lead singer Colin deciding to part ways. Nick stepped up and did not look back, going from guitarist and back-up vocalist to the man with the master plan behind the mic. A tough thing for any band to pull off, yet they came out with Skip School, Start Fights, a NAPNET-certified no-skip bop of an album.
(Editor’s Note: Ohio Native and NAPNET Editor Ryan “The Swemo Guy” Styles has a deep obsession with this album and lacks the ability to utter the phrase “skip school” without following it up with “start fights, hit the lights”)
Flash forward to 2025, and the band faced their biggest crossroads yet: overcoming the loss of family in the form of their longtime guitarist Kyle Maite, who tragically passed away in September of 2022. Kyle was an amazing person whose humor, wit, energy, chemistry, and passion will never be forgotten. If they had decided to call it quits then, everyone would have understood. Several years, thoughts, prayers, studio sessions, and cry sessions later, Hit the Lights decided to put things back together again in Kyle’s honor. They came back full force with a beefy, chunky, riff-heavy single that is out of this world.
Before we dive into the music video shoot I attended, we need to talk about the single itself, “Get Your Ass to Mars.” It is a well-blended mix of old-meets-new Hit the Lights. The first verse floats with one-of-a-kind vocal lines. There is a backing track that really emulates the feeling of space travel. I have to say, I absolutely love the bass in this song. It sounds like it was recorded in Jersey with a very Bouncing Souls–like tone.
The second verse might be the heaviest easycore verse Hit the Lights has ever conjured. The bridge has a tough bend-blended guitar breakdown that is incredibly tasty. To me, the feeling that stands out most in this song is walking a fine line perfectly between adventure space odyssey and Midwest emo easycore, culminating in the perfect finisher by demanding you “get your ass to Mars!”
Now, let’s talk about the music video shoot and show. The Hoosier Dome is the perfect site for a Hit the Lights music video. The venue has always been a DIY Indy scene favorite with a 250-person capacity, and it is the perfect place for the Kings of the Midwest since it sits right between Chicago, Indianapolis, and Lima, Ohio.
I thought it was cool that Hit the Lights decided to play a full show, performing the single three times at different points during the middle of the set and again at the end, keeping momentum high at all times. The band did not use a backing track either. They played it raw, which is a “bold move, Cotton.” It is this integrity that makes me love Hit the Lights so much.
The onstage presence felt like they never took any time off. When it comes to stage banter, it is a team effort. Omar leads the way with whimsical remarks that at times almost get him into hot water. David is there to cleverly piggyback and de-escalate anything, while Nick is along for the ride and ready to discuss whatever David and Omar bring up. They also kept the crowd interactions fun with this little gem:
Hit the Lights: “What should we do tomorrow in Indy while we stay in our Airbnb?”
Crowd: “Eat shit!” “Eat hot dogs!” “Drive away from here!”
Classic Indiana responses.
The energy was unmatched. Everyone was sweaty, giving our all for this momentous event. I hugged so many connecting strangers while we shared water bottles and tried not to faint, but remained resilient so we could enjoy being part of the music video and hearing so many great songs from different Hit the Lights eras. Everyone walked away from the event with a huge win on their shoulder (even though while writing this article my Chicago Bears just choked). Even though this was all short notice, it was successful and full of heart. Kyle would be proud.