Today, Tinley Park, IL's Real Friends has released a Halloween-themed music video for their song "Mess" just in time for the holiday. Set in 1995, the video creates a nostalgic, anthemic portrait of Halloween in the suburbs. The song is taken from the band's new album The Home Inside My Head, which is now available on iTunes.

 

"We are stoked to show everyone our music video for 'Mess,'" bassist Kyle Fasel says. "The coolest part was having our fans involved in the filming of the video. We had about 100 extras in the video over the course of two days. All of those extras were our fans. If I was in one of my favorite bands' music videos, I would be super stoked. So it's awesome to make our fans feel that."

 

Filmed in Media, PA, director Kyle Thrash brought the band's unabashedly honest lyrics to life by constructing an almost tangible atmosphere reminiscent of the smell of fall and the sounds of a fun-filled Halloween night, all the while following the story of two siblings who are not quite sure where exactly they fit in. Meanwhile, the storyline also follows different youth archetypes, who are enjoying a night of trick-or-treating and creating mischief.

 

Vocalist Dan Lambton explains, "We had wanted to work with Kyle Thrash for a very long time. We met him a few years ago while we were out with Modern Baseball and saw him grow as a director through all of their music videos along with Neck Deep and State Champs, among many others. Kyle brought a new vision to our whole perspective on videography. We never had extras, an intricate set, or as detailed of a storyline before. We had a lot of kids from the Philly area come out and give their time to be in the video, and it was awesome getting to connect to fans in a different light. I'm also very glad I didn't fall off the bike while we were shooting."

 

The Home Inside My Head received positive critical-acclaim, having had Rock Sound describe the new album as "smarter and more interesting than ever before," and SPIN noting that the band has "retained their pop-punk spirit while improving their own." New Noise Magazine explained that the new album is "a powerful, collaborative album full of genuinely fantastic emo and punk jams," and Alternative Press noted that The Home Inside My Head  "cements Real Friends' place as new school pop punk's lead dogs."

 

The band is currently on tour with The Wonder Years, following a whirlwind summer on the Main Stage of the Vans Warped Tour. The 31-date tour kicked off on Oct. 15, with additional support from Knuckle Puck, Moose Blood, and Seaway, and lasts through Nov. 23. The band will continue on to tour the UK / Europe alongside Knuckle Puck and With Confidence for December. Scroll down for full tour routing.

 

REAL FRIENDS - Brian Blake [drums], Kyle Fasel [bass guitar], Dave Knox [guitar], Dan Lambton [vocals], Eric Haines [guitar] - Colored by brushstrokes of punk, pop, and emo, Tiley Park IL's Real Friends has become one of the biggest breakout acts following the release of their debut, Maybe This Place Is the Same and We're Just Changing (2014). It bowed at #24 on the Billboard Top 200, moving over 10,300 copies first-week. To record The Home Inside My Head, the band treaded new territory by recording with two producers, three songs with producer Mike Green (Pierce The Veil, All Time Low) and nine with Steve Evetts (The Wonder Years, Dillinger Escape Plan). As they expanded their sonic palette, the lyrical vision also grew. Another first, Dan Lambton would split writing duties, penning lyrics to four songs. The Home Inside My Head is Real Friends' coming-of-age story, about a common realization that things won't be the same as they were during childhood, and that's okay. The Chicagoland quintet chose to put this journey on tape and let their lyrics spin into something positive, used as a therapeutic outlet for both Kyle and Dan. Noted as one of Alternative Press Magazine's Most Anticipated Albums of 2016, and a truly personal album for Real Friends, the band hopes The Home Inside My Head, will resonate with fans in their own unique way, giving them something to relate to and connect with individually.

 

REAL FRIENDS TOUR DATES w/ THE WONDER YEARS, KNUCKLE PUCK, MOOSE BLOOD, & SEAWAY:

Oct 26 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre

Oct 27 - Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre

Oct 28 - Sauget, IL @ Pop's 

Oct 29 - Lawrence, KS @ The Granada Theatre

Oct 30 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

Nov 1 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom 

Nov 2 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox 

Nov 4 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades 

Nov 5 - San Diego, CA @ Soma 

Nov 6 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre 

Nov 8 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas

Nov 9 - Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee

Nov 11 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues 

Nov 12 - San Antonio, TX @ Alamo City Music Hall

Nov 13 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues 

Nov 15 - Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom 

Nov 16 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade

Nov 17 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz 

Nov 18 - Ft Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution 

Nov 19 - Jacksonville, FL @ Mavericks 

Nov 20 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend 

Nov 22 - Boston, MA @ House of Blues 

Nov 23 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore 

EUROPE / UK TOUR w/ KNUCKLEPUCK:

Dec 1 - Paris, France @ Backstage By The Mill 

Dec 2 - Cologne, Germany @ MTC 

Dec 3 - Stuttgart, Germany @ Kellerclub 

Dec 4 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Melkweg 

Dec 6 - Hamburg, Germany @ Hafenklang 

Dec 7 - Antwerpen, Belgium @ JC Kavka 

Dec 9 - London, United Kingdom @ Electric Ballroom 

Dec 10 - Birmingham, United Kingdom @ Asylum 

Dec 11 - Newcastle, United Kingdom @ Riverside 

Dec 13 - Glasgow, United Kingdom @ St Luke's 

Dec 14 - Manchester, United Kingdom @ Club Academy 

Dec 15 - Leeds, United Kingdom @ Stylus 

Dec 16 - Bristol, United Kingdom @ Thekla 

Dec 17 - Southampton, United Kingdom @ Engine Rooms

 

Visit Real Friends' Official Website