Show notes
In this lively episode, Pipeman sits down at Warped Tour Montreal with Eric and Donald from The Paradox for an energetic discussion about their journey from Florida suburbs to music festival stages across North America. The band reflects on forming through old-school ads, paying homage to punk rock roots, and enjoying newfound momentum—including a sold-out headline tour and a massive opportunity with the Jonas Brothers. The conversation is full of candid stories about festival mishaps, musical influences, and what it means to be living out their dreams.Main Topics CoveredThe Paradox’s formation and Florida rootsThe joy and importance of having fun onstageWarped Tour experiences and how the band secured their spotNostalgic returns: MySpace, Ozzfest, and the revival of classic festivalsThe band’s headline tour and upcoming big announcementsSharing the stage with childhood heroes, the Jonas BrothersFlorida tour dates and festival memories, including Welcome to RockvilleViral festival stories—evacuations, mosh pits, and festival cultureThe power of mentorship and support from industry legends like Kevin LymanUpcoming EP and how fans can connect and support The ParadoxKey Discussions & StoriesFormation and The Journey to Warped TourEric details how the band started two years ago in Palm Coast, Florida, inspired by a Rick Beato video and brought together through a Facebook ad, similar to Metallica’s origin story 01:38.The suburban backgrounds and love for live punk music shaped The Paradox’s “just have fun” ethos 01:10.The band’s initial move to Atlanta and expanding via social media posts on Instagram and TikTok 02:15.Old School Connections & InspirationThe “old school” way of forming a band through ads, compared to how Metallica found its members 02:51.Pipeman shares nostalgia about revivals like MySpace, Ozzfest, and Warped Tour, noting that “2026 is like the new 2006” 04:14.Getting to Warped Tour and Industry SupportThe band credits luck, persistence, and crucial support from Kevin Lyman for getting them slots at Warped Tour in Long Beach and Montreal 05:14.Kevin Lyman is praised as a mentor and advocate for emerging bands, helping The Paradox land on festival stages and compilation CDs 05:19.Touring Highlights & Headline TourAnnouncement of The Paradox’s first headline tour in October, already sold out 05:53.Hints at even bigger “insane” happenings planned after the tour, including a tour with the Jonas Brothers—major influences from their childhood 06:12.Memorable Festival StoriesReflections on performing at Welcome to Rockville, enduring Florida’s heat, weather evacuations, and spontaneous crowd moments like Walk the Flame starting a mosh pit during an evacuation 09:04.Anecdotes about discovering music through Disney Channel and how the Jonas Brothers became a gateway to their musical journey 06:43.Upcoming Dates & Florida LoveJacksonville and Orlando dates confirmed for Florida; Warped Tour Orlando noted as a special local show 07:38.Discussion of past appearances at Welcome to Rockville and future aspirations to play more Wimmer festivals 08:20.Festive hopes for playing Japan’s Summer Sonic festival in the future 10:08.Notable Quotes“If you're not having fun playing on stage, this is the wrong business to be in.” – Pipeman 01:11“It's just suburban music and we're suburban guys.” – Eric 02:28“Kevin Lyman's been like a really good friend and...a good mentor to us. He's definitely gone to bat for us to get us on these stages.” – Eric 05:03“One day you're watching the people on the TV, and the next day you're next to the people on the TV.” – shared...