Indie rock band Lydia first came onto the scene in 2003 as a couple of kids from Arizona. Their music had brought them to stages such as Vans Warped Tour and The Bamboozle festival, playing with bands such as Metro Station, The Dear Hunter, Copeland, Lights, Eye Alaska and The Maine over the course of their career.

With a new album Liquor dropping this summer, this marks the band’s seventh record over the course of 15 years — an impressive longevity for an early band in emo’s heydays. Their lead single “Goodside” off the album feels familiar to the band’s classic indie rock sound, yet features a powerful drum section with haunting piano keys to contrast as lead singer Leighton Antelman sings, “Tell myself not to f**k it up / Tell myself that I want that love / You play it real cool though.”

Currently on tour supporting UK punk band Moose Blood on a spring US tour, Lydia was happy to talk with me about their new music ahead of their stop at Slim’s in San Francisco on April 4.

Lydia. (Photo: Facebook)

It’s been a few years since your last release (2015’s Run Wild). What can we look forward to from your upcoming album Liquor?

I think this one is a little different in the fact that we didn’t really rush anything about the process. The songs really came out organically and in their own time. Liquor tells the story of the highs and lows of that.

What was the inspiration behind Liquor? What sounds and elements did you draw from?

We always really enjoy the experimental aspect of creating a feeling in a song. This one was no different, we sort of just bang around on instruments and things until it makes us feel the right thing.

I love your lead single “Goodside.” Tell me a little bit about that song — what inspired it and how did you choose to lead with that to introduce your album to fans?

That song is really fun to play live. I think that had a factor, and we also thought it was intriguing and represents the overall feel of Liquor.

You’re on the road with Moose Blood this year. What can fans look forward to at your shows? Will there be new material, or familiar material performed?

Yes! We are playing two new ones and the rest will be familiar jams that are always so fun to play and sing with the crowd.

What’re your current plans for 2018 and what can we look forward to next from Lydia?

The album is being released on July 13th and we will be doing a headlining tour around that same time frame.

Lydia. (Photo: Facebook)

Lydia is currently on tour this spring for a full US tour with UK punk band Moose Blood. For tickets and more information, visit lydiaband.com.

3/9 – Hoosier Dome – Indianapolis IN *
3/10 – Rumba Cafe – Columbus OH *
3/11 – Mr. Smalls – Pittsburgh PA *
3/14 – Royale – Boston MA
3/15 – Irving Plaza – NYC
3/16 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia PA
3/17 – Stone Pony – Asbury Park NJ
3/18 – 9:30 Club – Washington DC
3/20 – Canal Club – Richmond VA
3/21 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro NC
3/23 – Orpheum Theatre – Tampa FL
3/24 – The Masquerade – Atlanta GA
3/25 – The Basement East – Nashville TN
3/27 – White Oak Music Hall – Houston TX
3/28 – Scoot Inn – Austin TX
3/29 – Gas Monkey Bar and Grill – Dallas TX
3/31 – Nile Theatre – Mesa AZ
4/2 – Quartyard – San Diega CA
4/3 – Regent Theater – Los Angeles CA
4/4 – Slim’s – San Francisco CA
4/6 – Hawthorne Theatre – Portland OR
4/7 – El Corazon – Seattle WA
4/9 – The Complex – Salt Lake City UT
4/10 – The Summit Music Hall – Denver CO
4/12 – The Garage – Burnsville MN
4/13 – House of Blues – Chicago IL
4/14 – Saint Andrews Hall – Detroit MI
4/15 – The Agora Ballroom – Cleveland OH
4/17 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo NY
4/18 – Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto ON
4/19 – Fairmount Theater – Montreal QC
4/20 – The Hollow – Albany NY *
4/21 – The Ballroom at The Outer Space – Hamden CT *
4/24 – The Outland Ballroom – Springfield MO *
*=w/o Moose Blood and McCafferty<

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This article was featured on SF Critic.