Popblerd was able to snag a handful of minutes with singer Jimmy Stadt from Polar Bear Club at Vans Warped Tour 2012 in Mansfield, Mass. Jimmy was so genuine and sincere, we wish we could have taken him home to meet our mums; sadly, he had a date with a line of fans waiting patiently for a signing.
“Generally us — and bands we roll with, I guess – stand for just playing honestly and passionately and trying to connect with the people watching us.” Jimmy pauses for a moment, thoughtful. “And not trying to get you to give in — to buy this ‘product’.” The corners of his mouth tweak upward in a not-quite-smile, and he continues. “I am not trying to say that there is no business aspect to being in a band […], but when we’re playing songs and we’re playing for you watching, what we stand for is that this is coming straight from our hearts.”
If it sounds as if it could easily all go a bit soppy and early ’00s, don’t worry – these Upstate New Yorkers keep it fresh. Polar Bear Club boasts melodic vocals combined with post-hardcore guitars backed by a strong rhythm section. “We’re trying to express that little dark corner inside of you, that place you go to when your staring out a window, that’s what we’re trying to get across and talk about.”
And since the crowds at Warped never know what they’re going to get until they show up (set times aren’t announced until the morning of, and the weather can switch everything up), the bands at Warped have to roll with the punches and adapt to the situation at hand to get their music out to the masses.
“My philosophy is that it’s never a bad thing to give a great show.” Jimmy’s eyes are super serious under the brim of his baseball cap. “There’s at least one person there who’s really into it, at least, and you kind of have to remember that, and you can’t phone it in, because you’re going to let them down. And what did they ever do to you?”
“Shoot for the moon and who knows if you get there, but you might as well try. Hopefully we do that every time.”
Polar Bear Club is on tour in the US through early August, and then heads for the Europe. Catch their latest release Clash Battle Guilt Pride on Amazon (digital download) or their official online store (hard-copy CD and vinyl LP).