Biography
Hailing from Chicago, Action/Adventure fuse the aggressive melodic style of pop-punk with the heavy guitar assault of metalcore, establishing a formidable presence throughout the city’s underground rock circuit. Comprising five BIPOC men, the group defies typical notions of hardcore band identity, and their material periodically confronts the tensions and paradoxes of operating within a scene overwhelmingly dominated by white artists. Their songs equally channel the rage, fantasies, and doubts that commonly propel hardcore, delivered through performances that maintain an even mix of raw energy and exacting control. An assertive introduction arrived via the 2015 Rumble Pak EP, followed by expanded scope and ambition on 2018’s Going Heel and wider recognition with 2021’s Pulling Focus.
Vocals come from Oren Trace, while Brompton Jackson handles guitar and vocals, Blake Evaristo plays guitar, Manny Avila covers bass, and Adrian Brown sits behind the drums. The eventual members first encountered one another at Chicago hardcore shows, forging connections through mutual appreciation for the music. Trace, Jackson, and Brown, already devoted followers who had played together since the mid-2000s—including time spent in a Senses Fail tribute band—later joined Evaristo and Avila to launch Action/Adventure. Influenced by acts ranging from Fall Out Boy to the Story So Far to Four Year Strong, the musicians developed their approach through live performances before releasing their first recording, the five-song Rumble Pak EP in 2015. A split EP with Coastlines appeared later that year, and the five-track Last Minute Stuntman followed in June 2016. November 2018 brought the six-song Going Heel, where the band tested more intricate melodic shapes, broader dynamics, and acoustic guitars on several tracks.
Action/Adventure attracted notice in 2020 by tackling the specific hurdles faced by a BIPOC band in the video for “Barricades,” interspersing full-throttle performance footage with images of the members holding signs displaying dismissive “fan” remarks such as “You don’t look the way you sound” and “You’re not Black enough.” After its October 2020 premiere, the clip—tagged #PopPunkInColor—spread rapidly online, paving the way for the follow-up video “Poser,” which presented comparable commentary in a more lighthearted manner. In that clip the band members are magically altered into a stereotypical hip-hop act whose visual style and accessories better match the assumptions some hold about how they should sound. The resulting surge in profile led to an invitation to sign with Pure Noise Records, the punk label associated with many of their preferred bands, and their first release for the imprint was the seven-track Pulling Focus, issued in April 2021.
Vocals come from Oren Trace, while Brompton Jackson handles guitar and vocals, Blake Evaristo plays guitar, Manny Avila covers bass, and Adrian Brown sits behind the drums. The eventual members first encountered one another at Chicago hardcore shows, forging connections through mutual appreciation for the music. Trace, Jackson, and Brown, already devoted followers who had played together since the mid-2000s—including time spent in a Senses Fail tribute band—later joined Evaristo and Avila to launch Action/Adventure. Influenced by acts ranging from Fall Out Boy to the Story So Far to Four Year Strong, the musicians developed their approach through live performances before releasing their first recording, the five-song Rumble Pak EP in 2015. A split EP with Coastlines appeared later that year, and the five-track Last Minute Stuntman followed in June 2016. November 2018 brought the six-song Going Heel, where the band tested more intricate melodic shapes, broader dynamics, and acoustic guitars on several tracks.
Action/Adventure attracted notice in 2020 by tackling the specific hurdles faced by a BIPOC band in the video for “Barricades,” interspersing full-throttle performance footage with images of the members holding signs displaying dismissive “fan” remarks such as “You don’t look the way you sound” and “You’re not Black enough.” After its October 2020 premiere, the clip—tagged #PopPunkInColor—spread rapidly online, paving the way for the follow-up video “Poser,” which presented comparable commentary in a more lighthearted manner. In that clip the band members are magically altered into a stereotypical hip-hop act whose visual style and accessories better match the assumptions some hold about how they should sound. The resulting surge in profile led to an invitation to sign with Pure Noise Records, the punk label associated with many of their preferred bands, and their first release for the imprint was the seven-track Pulling Focus, issued in April 2021.
Albums
Singles
