Punked out

  After giving an energetic performance for an hour with no
breaks, vocalist Jason Cruz takes a breather back
stage before a mob of roadies and friends barge in to congratulate
him.

After months of touring together, you would think five band
members would grow weary of each other’s company. With the
punk band Strung Out, however, that isn’t the case.

Instead of being bitter about its demanding touring schedule,
Strung Out is stoked for the opportunities it has.

An hour before the first of two sold-out shows at the Hollywood
Palace on Oct. 6 and 7, guitarist Jake Kiley and bassist Chris
Aikens were busy playing Nintendo 64 in the back of their rented
$300,000 tour van. Kiley was quick to admit that this is not the
typical setup for most touring punk bands.

“I remember when we used to drive across the country in a
small van and question why we were still playing,” he said in
a recent interview.

All of its hard work in the past has payed off, though, as
Strung Out prepares to release its fourth album this year.

The band’s fan base has grown exponentially in the past
few years, selling roughly 2,000 tickets in L.A. alone this past
weekend. Teenagers from all over Southern California lined up at 6
p.m. both Friday and Saturday, waiting to be let in to the Palace.
By the time the three opening bands had performed, all five members
of Strung Out were prepared to go on stage, excited at the
opportunity to play for such a large crowd.

According to Kiley and Aikens, each member seems to have their
own unique warm-up before they go on. Some simply lounge and drink
beer while others, like vocalist Jason Cruz, stretch out and try to
focus on the performance despite all the adrenaline building
up.

When the lights finally do come on, and the band starts to play,
the crowd instantly erupts, with flying bodies and clothes going in
every direction. An hour later the show winds down and the band
finishes with the same energy it started with, leaving fans in awe,
sweating and panting with huge grins on their faces.

Backstage, after the show, the band members are exhausted,
knowing there is still a long drive ahead later that night. Strung
Out can rest easy, though, remembering the cheers and enthusiasm of
the audience. Next stop: San Diego.

  In front of a crowd of 2,000, Strung Out’s lead
singer Jason Cruz, of Simi Valley, puts his all
into the band’s performance Saturday night at the Palace,
despite the fatigue of many months on the touring circuit.   A
crowd surfer goes for a handstand during Strung Out’s
energy-filled set Saturday night.   Guitarist Jake
Kiley (left) and bassist Chris Aikens
discuss touring during an interview in the back of their tour van
before the first of their two sold-out shows at the Palace last
weekend.   Guitarist Jake Kiley backs up
vocalist Jason Cruz at the end of their set on Saturday at the
Palace.   19-year-old Dave Laing gets
searched by security guard Ricardo Hall before he
is permitted to enter the Palace in Hollywood.