thePULSEBy Katey Khaos
Summer is back, and that means it’s time for one of my (and probably your!) favorite things ~ outdoor concerts. More specifically, it’s time for one of the best all- day events music (and more), the Vans Warped Tour. This year’s Warped Tour lineup is offers, as always, a wide range of genres, including some killer metal acts including Miss May I.
Levi Benton, lead vocalist and band co-founder, was kind enough to take a break from swimming in the Gulf of Mexico to talk to the Pulse about what Miss May I have up their sleeves.
I decided to first ask about the name Miss May I, wondering if there were an interesting story behind it “There’s no cool story behind our name, just us being stupid and trying to come up with something different,” Benton says. Well, mission accomplished!
As mentioned, Miss May I is one of the nearly one hundred bands playing at this year’s Warped Tour. “This year, we’re playing main stage, and I still don’t believe it ~ I won’t believe it until we’re actually playing.” In addition to doing Warped Tour, Miss May I are also touring with other awesome metal bands like Whitechapel and Parkway Drive.
With the better part of their summer booked with shows, how do they spend their much-deserved downtime on the tour bus? “Girlfriends and video games,” Benton says. “I have Battlefield, a TV and an Xbox that I bring on tour ~ I have a suitcase for all of it.”
Miss May I have also been working hard to put out their latest album At Heart, which was released on June 12th . As Benton reveals, the album doesn’t work around the idea of “…my girlfriend broke up with me, and here’s a breakdown,” but instead is like a “football playbook” where everything is organized, and there are no repeats.
Miss May I have had awesome opportunities, including being a part of the ever-growing Pop Goes Punk series. If you haven’t heard of it, you’re in for a real treat. Bands like Miss May I take a radio hit and cover it, but to the tune of their own music. For example, Miss May I took on “Run This Town” by Jay-Z and put a metal twist on it. “It’s a fun game for us,” Benton explains.
What does the future holds for these rapidly rising stars? “Being in a band is a life choice. It got legit really fast. We got our [record] deal in high school, and we were already lined up for going to college …We have plans for after [the band]. We know we’re no Motley Crue,” Benton laughs.
Be sure to catch Miss May I at this year’s Warped Tour when it hits Mansfield, MA on July 19th! Tickets are on sale now!
