The Get Up Kids

The Get Up Kids
Name	The Get Up Kids
Origin	Kansas City, Missouri
Genres	Emo, Alternative rock, Power pop
Years active	1994–2005, 2008–present
Labels	Doghouse Records, Vagrant Records, Mass Giorgini
Associated acts	Reggie and the Full Effect, Blackpool Lights, New Found Glory, The Anniversary

The Get Up Kids are an American rock band formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 1994. The band became a central act within the emo and alternative rock scenes of the late 1990s and early 2000s, releasing influential albums and touring with contemporaries across North America, Europe, and Australia. Their work connected scenes around labels such as Doghouse Records and Vagrant Records, and intersected with artists like Jimmy Eat World, Sunny Day Real Estate, Lifetime, Jawbreaker, and The Promise Ring.

History

Formed amid the 1990s Midwest independent circuit that included Lawrence, Kansas venues and the wider Midwest emo movement, the band recorded early material with producer Ed Rose at Red House Studios. Their debut EP and subsequent full-length releases circulated on Doghouse Records alongside releases by Converge, Hot Water Music, and Steel Pole Bath Tub. Breakthrough came when they signed to Vagrant Records and toured with acts such as Green Day, NOFX, Alkaline Trio, and Descendents, increasing visibility in festivals like Warped Tour and Reading and Leeds Festivals. After internal tensions and lineup shifts, the group announced a breakup in 2005, reformed in 2008, and continued releasing albums and performing at events including reunions with peers like Pedro the Lion and collaborations involving members from Reggie and the Full Effect, The New Amsterdams, and Blackpool Lights.

Musical style and influences

Their sound fused elements of power pop and punk rock with the melodic complexity associated with emo and the structural drive of alternative rock. Influences cited by members include The Replacements, The Smiths, Bad Religion, The Cure, and The Church, while contemporaneous inspiration came from bands like Modest Mouse, Kaplan & Garvey, Jawbox, and Sunny Day Real Estate. Production choices reflected the aesthetics of producers and studios such as Steve Albini, Butch Vig, and Ed Rose, and arrangements often echoed songwriting techniques used by Tom Petty, R.E.M., The Beatles, and Big Star. The band incorporated keyboards and layered guitars in ways comparable to The Anniversary and Death Cab for Cutie, creating dynamic shifts reminiscent of Muse and emotive lyricism paralleling Radiohead and Built to Spill.

Band members and lineup changes

Original and notable members included frontmen and songwriters whose careers intersected with numerous projects: players who also performed in Reggie and the Full Effect, Blackpool Lights, The New Amsterdams, The Anniversary, and Kaiser Chiefs-adjacent scenes. Over time the lineup saw departures and additions that linked to acts such as Dreamers, The Hold Steady, New Found Glory, Hot Water Music, Sense Field, and Further Seems Forever. Touring musicians and session contributors included individuals associated with Pedro the Lion, Alkaline Trio, Say Anything, Lifetime, and The Smoking Popes. These changes affected writing credits and live arrangements during recording cycles tied to labels like Vagrant Records, Doghouse Records, and producers affiliated with Red House Studios.

Discography

The catalog spans several studio albums, EPs, singles, and compilations released across independent and major-adjacent labels. Key studio albums entered discussions alongside landmark releases by Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring, Sense Field, The Anniversary, and Thursday. Their records were distributed on formats and platforms shared with artists from Fueled by Ramen, Vagrant Records, and Doghouse Records rosters, appearing on bills with New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, Blink-182, Green Day, and The Offspring. Compilations and reissues involved collaboration with engineers and remixers who worked with Steve Albini, Butch Vig, and Ed Rose.

Tours and live performances

Extensive touring placed them on multi-band tours and festival stages with Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Bonnaroo, and headline runs through North America, Europe, and Australia. Packages included stints with Jimmy Eat World, New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio, Blink-182, Green Day, The Offspring, and appearances at showcases run by labels including Vagrant Records and promoters associated with Sire Records and Fueled by Ramen. Live collaborations and guest appearances occurred with members from Reggie and the Full Effect, The New Amsterdams, Blackpool Lights, Pedro the Lion, and Lifetime, influencing subsequent setlists and anniversary tours.

Legacy and impact

The band is widely cited in discussions of the late-1990s and early-2000s emo revival alongside Jimmy Eat World, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Promise Ring, American Football, Mineral, and Cap'n Jazz. Their influence is noted among later artists on labels such as Fueled by Ramen, Vagrant Records, and Epitaph Records, including bands like Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Dashboard Confessional, My Chemical Romance, and Panic! at the Disco. Music press outlets and historians reference their role in shaping touring networks, indie label economies, and festival circuits that connected to events like Warped Tour, Reading Festival, and the broader international alternative scene. Members’ subsequent projects and collaborations with acts such as Reggie and the Full Effect, Blackpool Lights, The New Amsterdams, and Pedro the Lion extended their cultural footprint across multiple subgenres.

Category:American rock bands