On the edge of University Drive and surrounded by palm trees, ASU’s Art Music and Poetry club will be hosting international touring punk band Joyce Manor.
The club, also known as AMP for short, is featuring the band as part of this year's Field Day at Palo Verde Beach, the University's quad. The free music festival, which is open to the public, will be held on March 30 starting at 4 p.m. and feature a mix of indie punk rock and dream pop.
Since its inception just over a year ago, AMP has had an impressive list of acts that they have booked for shows at ASU including Injury Reserve, The Color 8, Breakup Shoes and more.
Justin Remelius, AMP treasurer and sophomore majoring in political science and philosophy, said that choosing Joyce Manor as the headliner came from collaborative effort within the club.
Punk band Joyce Manor was formed in Torrance, California and released its self-titled first album in 2011. Field Day fest will be the band’s last U.S. show before starting its European tour in support of their latest LP, Million Dollars to Kill Me.
AMP president Tyler Clark, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies, said that while booking Joyce Manor — a band he has listened to since he was 15 — is especially exciting for him, booking the local bands for people to discover for the first time is also rewarding.
“I love that actual engagement where you can tell someone’s super star-struck being there,” Clark said. “Seeing someone else have that reaction, I’m like — yes! So I’m doing something that really matters.”
AMP club has grown significantly since its first show in January 2018. Clark said now they have enough people to have sound and light crews at the shows, as well as people to do miscellaneous tasks that help the show run smoothly.
In addition to helping plan the event, a few members of AMP are also performing at Field Day.
Christopher Gonzalez, a sophomore studying film, will perform in Tempe-based duo Flower Chow, which includes him and his girlfriend, ASU student Cameron Mattern. Flower Chow released its second EP, Things Change, People Don't in November 2018.
Gonzalez said that being on the lineup with Joyce Manor is a surreal feeling.
“I’ve been listening to Joyce Manor for a couple of years, and seeing them post a picture on Instagram with my band’s name on it — it’s just crazy,” Gonzalez said.
Field Day will mark the first time AMP hosts a festival at Palo Verde Beach, and members said they expect it to attract a bigger audience than they've had in the past, due to its open and easily accessible location.
“I think it’s a natural process as our shows get bigger and bigger," Clark said. "We know more of how to run everything correctly and it’s just going to keep moving up and up."
While both Clark and AMP co-founder Nicholas Rennemann will both graduate this semester, Clark said that he is confident in the members of AMP to carry the club’s success into the future.
Remelius said that this has been a transitional semester for the club as the founders have passed their knowledge and passion for the local music scene on to the younger members.
“I’m super excited to keep learning, and I’m super excited to put on future shows,” Remelius said.
Reach the reporter at mswhitey@asu.edu or follow @MarissaWhitey on Twitter.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
