The Story Behind Rat Race.

Every band has a story. Ours is one of nostalgia, friendship, and a deep love for the music that shaped us. We’re Rat Race, a pop punk band bringing the energy of the 2000s back to life while writing songs that mean something today. If you love loud guitars, shout-along choruses, and the kind of music that makes you want to throw yourself into a mosh pit, you’re in the right place.

How It Started

Rat Race wasn’t born in a boardroom or put together through classified ads. It came from a simple, shared love of music. Between us, we’ve got over 40 years of combined experience across guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. But it’s not just about knowing how to play—it’s about understanding how music should feel.

We didn’t just want to cover songs—we wanted to bring them back to life. The anthems that got us through breakups, bad jobs, and long nights needed to be played loud. So, we started putting together a setlist filled with the best of early 2000s pop punk, from blink-182 to Sum 41. Before long, we were hitting stages and giving people a reason to jump, scream, and lose themselves in the music.

Why ‘Rat Race’?

The name Rat Race isn’t just a throwaway title—it’s a statement. Life often feels like a never-ending cycle of work, stress, and expectations. Music is our way of breaking free, even if just for a night. When we’re on stage, and the crowd is moving, there’s no rat race—just a room full of people living in the moment. That’s what we’re all about.

Where We’re Headed

We’re not stopping at covers. Writing our own music has been in the works for a while, and we want to capture the same energy and raw emotion that made us fall in love with pop punk in the first place. It’s about fast riffs, catchy hooks, and lyrics that actually mean something.

We’re also pushing to play bigger shows, bigger venues, and eventually, more festivals. We’ve got The Empress coming up, where we’re aiming to pack the place out, and we’ve got our sights set on bigger and better venues for the future!

Join the Race

If you’ve ever screamed along to “Fat Lip” in your car or jumped off a stage into a sea of sweaty strangers, you’re one of us. Follow us, come to a show, and let’s make every night feel like Warped Tour in 2005.

This is Rat Race. Let’s go.