Bad Reception

Frequently asked question: Are you making new music? Answer: Occasionally. Follow-up question: Are you releasing it? Answer: We did not say that.

Still here. Still loud. Still no release date.

Five people. One room. No announcement.

Bad Reception made a new demo by emailing the same file around until it became unrecognizable.

Following the unauthorized publication of a photograph earlier today, Bad Reception would like to address the resulting speculation regarding Riley Carter and Jace Holloway. We can confirm that Riley and Jace are in a relationship and have been for some time. They are happy together and would have preferred to share—or not share—that information on their own terms. Neither Riley nor Jace intends to provide further details. We ask that fans and media respect their privacy and refrain from treating their personal lives as public property. As for Nico Alvarez, Bad Reception has elected to retain its drummer. Effective immediately, Nico is on thirty days of supervised posting. Any photograph involving another member of Bad Reception must be approved by that person before publication, and for the next month all proposed uploads will also be reviewed by Evan Parker. Evan was not consulted about this assignment. We consider the matter resolved. — Bad Reception

Three shows. Not a tour. NOV 15 — Pittsburgh NOV 16 — outside Cleveland NOV 17 — Columbus, afternoon Short sets. No “return” language. We can decline any date independently if circumstances change.

It’s been a while. The five of us have started rehearsing together again. We’ve played a few small shows, worked on some new material, and spent a lot of time figuring out what Bad Reception looks like now. We’re not announcing a comeback tour or a new album today. We’re taking things at a pace that works for us, and we’re not interested in making promises just because people expect us to. What we can say is that we’re still a band, we still like making music together, and we’re looking forward to doing more of it. Thank you to everyone who gave us the space to get here. We appreciate you more than you know. — Bad Reception

We are playing a small room next Friday. No comeback campaign. No new release. Short set, old songs, a couple things we are still figuring out. If somebody needs to stop, we stop.

The building in Nelsonville where Bad Reception began was destroyed by fire this week. Nobody was inside. We lost equipment, tapes, notes, and a room that held most of our history. We are grateful to the crews who responded.

Bad Reception is going on an indefinite hiatus. After the last several years of recording and touring, we’ve decided that we need to step away from the band and give ourselves time to focus on our lives and our health. There are no shows, recording sessions, or release plans scheduled. We don’t have a timeline for returning, and we don’t want to make promises we may not be able to keep. We’re grateful for everything this band has given us, especially the people who have supported us from the beginning. That support means more than we can adequately put into a post. We ask that you respect our privacy and give us the space to take care of ourselves and each other. Thank you for understanding. — Bad Reception

Bad Reception has canceled all remaining appearances. Riley Carter is receiving medical care. Jace Holloway remains away from the band while continuing his own recovery. There is no timetable for either of them to return. We ask that fans and media respect their privacy.

Trent Harlow will not perform with Bad Reception again. We will not discuss private details involving Riley, but we are aware of what occurred after the January 12 show and have ended Trent’s involvement with the band. There will be no replacement announcement and no further appearances involving Trent. — Bad Reception

Riley has been located and is receiving medical care. Thank you to everyone who shared accurate information and respected the request not to speculate. Please remove screenshots containing private phone numbers. There will be no further update tonight.

We are trying to locate Riley Carter. She left the venue after tonight’s show and has not returned home or responded to calls. If you have seen Riley or have reliable information about where she went, please contact local law enforcement using the number below. Do not approach her, post rumors, or organize your own search.

January 12 — Ohio. One previously booked local show. Doors at 7. This is not a tour announcement.

Bad Reception will complete a limited number of previously contracted post-tour appearances. Trent Harlow will perform on bass while Jace continues his recovery. These dates are not the beginning of a new tour. Additional information will be shared only when appropriate.

Scheduling update: Bad Reception will not be appearing at the two previously announced December events. Ticket holders should contact the venues directly regarding refunds. We appreciate your patience and ask that you respect the band’s privacy.

The You Heard Me The First Time tour is officially finished. Four months, a lot of miles, and more shows than we can remember without looking at the schedule. We played some of the biggest rooms of our lives, saw a lot of familiar faces, and met plenty of new ones. Thank you to everyone who came out, bought a record, sang along, or spent a night with us. Thanks to the crews and everyone behind the scenes who made it possible. We’re heading home to see our families, sleep in our own beds, and spend some time being people who don’t have to know what city they’re in before breakfast. Thank you for being part of it. — Bad Reception

FINAL 2017 TOUR DATES NOV 10 — Seattle NOV 17 — Portland NOV 24 — San Francisco NOV 29 — Los Angeles DEC 02 — St. Louis DEC 09 — Cleveland Then we go home.

We’ve been playing some of the biggest rooms of our lives, and it still feels strange hearing people sing the songs back at us. Thank you to everyone who has come out on this tour. We’ve been away from home for a long time, and you’ve made the long drives and questionable rest-stop meals worth it. We’ve got more dates ahead. See you out there.

YOU HEARD ME THE FIRST TIME — TOUR AUG 18 — Columbus AUG 25 — Pittsburgh SEP 02 — Detroit SEP 09 — Chicago SEP 16 — Minneapolis SEP 29 — Denver OCT 07 — Seattle OCT 14 — Portland OCT 27 — San Francisco NOV 04 — Los Angeles Final November and December dates to follow.

The You Heard Me The First Time tour is officially happening. We start in August and keep going through December, or until somebody convinces Evan a spreadsheet is not a personality. Full dates below.

You Heard Me The First Time is out now. Twelve songs. A lot of time in the studio. More arguments about guitar tones than we care to admit. This record means a great deal to us, and we’re grateful we get to share it with you. Listen loud, listen quietly, or listen however you want. Just don’t let Nico control the volume. Thank you for being part of this.

Our new album, You Heard Me The First Time, arrives July 11. We made it at Studio B in Hollywood with more time, better equipment, and considerably more opinions than we have ever had in one room. More soon.

Studio B, week three: nine songs mostly standing, three songs arguing with us, and one piano in considerably better condition than anything we own.

We’re signing with a major label. That is a sentence we never expected to write when we were practicing above a closed storefront in Nelsonville. We’ve spent the last few years trying to make this band something we could keep doing. Now we get to make a record with a real studio budget and take these songs farther than we have before. Thank you to everyone who came to the small shows, bought the early records, or told somebody else to listen. You got us here. We’re going to make the most of it.

We’ve spent most of the last year writing, recording demos, and playing anywhere that would have us. A few things are happening behind the scenes that we’re not quite ready to announce. For once, that’s because we actually have something to announce and not because Nico forgot the password. More soon.

SPRING 2015 03/27 — Columbus, OH 03/28 — Cleveland, OH 04/03 — Pittsburgh, PA 04/04 — Buffalo, NY 04/17 — Indianapolis, IN 04/18 — Chicago, IL 05/02 — Detroit, MI Tickets are on sale now.

We need a band rule about eating in the van.

FALL 2014 09/12 — Cincinnati, OH 09/13 — Louisville, KY 09/26 — Pittsburgh, PA 09/27 — Cleveland, OH 10/10 — Detroit, MI 10/11 — Toledo, OH Tickets and venue details are linked below.

A year ago, we weren’t sure we could do this anymore. Now we’ve got new songs, a van that makes a noise nobody wants to identify, and a few more places willing to let us play. Thank you to everyone who keeps showing up. We’re still figuring things out, but we’re getting better at it. Mostly.

A few summer dates: July 12 — Athens, OH July 20 — Columbus, OH August 3 — Huntington, WV August 17 — Pittsburgh, PA Cole will be playing guitar. Nico will be asking where we are. Everything is normal.

We’ve been back in the rehearsal room for a few months. Some of the songs are old. Some are new. Some still need work, which is a polite way of saying we keep arguing about the bridge. Cole is settling in, and we’re starting to sound like a band again. There are more shows coming. We’ll post the dates when we have them.

Nine people came to the Dead Letter tonight. We played music together in front of people for the first time in a long time. It was strange, difficult, and better than we knew how to explain. Thank you to the nine of you for being there. Thank you to everyone who has given us the space to get this far. We’re going to keep playing.

We are playing the Dead Letter on March 12. Small room. No big explanation. Doors at 8. We go on when they tell us to.

We’d like to welcome Cole Mercer to Bad Reception. He’s joining us on guitar as we begin working toward playing together again. Nobody is replacing Mason. Cole understands that, and so do we. We don’t know exactly what the next version of this band looks like yet. We’re going to find out by making music.

We have spent the last few days trying to find the right way to say this, and there probably isn’t one. Mason Keene was our friend, our bandmate, and one of the people who helped make Bad Reception what it is. Losing him has left all of us trying to process something that still does not feel real. We want to thank everyone who has reached out, offered support, or simply given us space since Sunday night. More importantly, we want to extend our deepest condolences to Mason’s family. They have lost a son, a relative, and someone they loved long before he was ever part of this band, and our thoughts are with them above everything else. We are not going to comment further on the circumstances of the accident while the investigation is ongoing. We ask that people avoid speculation and respect the privacy of Mason’s family during this time. Mason’s funeral will be held Friday, October 12. The service will be open to the public. We know a lot of people cared about Mason and will want the opportunity to say goodbye. We ask everyone attending to be respectful of his family and of one another. Thank you for remembering Mason and for giving all of us time to grieve. — Riley, Jace, Nico and Evan

We are devastated to share that our guitarist and friend, Mason, died following an electrical accident during our performance at The Marrow in Cleveland. There is nothing we can say that makes this easier to understand. We ask that you respect his family and everyone who loved him while we try to process what happened. We will not be performing or making any decisions about the future of Bad Reception at this time. Thank you for caring about him.

CLEVELAND — October 7 at The Marrow. Doors at 7. We are on at 9. This is our first time in Cleveland, so bring somebody and help us look less lost than we are.

This weekend: Friday — The Union, Athens Saturday — Brick House, Lancaster Sunday — wherever Nico left the cymbal bag. Doors at 7 both nights. We are assuming the cymbals return before then.

Rehearsal is at seven. This means seven, Riley.

We have a band name, five people, and a rehearsal room above a storefront that probably should have been condemned before we got there. Bad Reception. Riley’s singing. Mason and Evan have guitars. Jace has a bass. Nico has been told to stop hitting things that aren’t drums. We’ll let you know when we have something worth hearing.