It is 7:30 PM in Mansfield, MA, and it is monsooning outside. Rain is crashing violently and relentlessly onto the Vans Warped Tour crowds, drenching a sea of black band t-shirts, smudging heavily-applied eyeliner, and wreaking havoc on freshly-dyed neon hair—one unlucky punk already has a steady stream of purple Manic Panic dripping down her neck. However, despite the weather-fueled chaos, inside the amphitheater, As It Is is incredibly happy. As they perform to a room of hundreds of people, undeniably wet but still dancing and screaming with undampened energy, frontman Patty Walters seems physically unable to stop smiling. To the crisp pounding of the drums and unrelenting rhythm of the guitar, Walters never stands still for more than a second—he is perched on the amps; then he is jumping vertically in time, looking indisputably pop-punk; and then he has launched himself onto the barrier to sing with the army of fans before him. Every now and then, I catch guitarist Ben Biss smiling to himself through his impressive mop of blonde hair, or bassist Ali Testo looking out into the amphitheater with wonder—though the band plays to loving crowds on the daily, they still give off the “ecstatic disbelief” energy of 5 garage-band teens from England, finally playing the festival of their dreams.

It’s safe to say that As It Is have successfully broken into the American alternative scene, yet playing with the British flag draped proudly over their bass amp, they have never been shy about their love for their home country. Since forming in Brighton, England in 2012, they had self-released 3 EPs before signing with Fearless Records for their 2015 full-length debut “Never Happy, Ever After”—a feel-good pop punk masterpiece with loud, clap-along hooks perfectly crafted to translate into a fun, dynamic live show.

Before it started pouring, I was able to catch up with Ben Biss and Ali Testo at Warped Tour, where we chatted about recording their new album, the differences between the US and the UK, and dream-come-true moments. Continue reading →