Pop punk mainstays Real Friends return with a powerful new track today entitled ‘Waiting Room.’ The song is both familiar ground and a next step for the band, with distinctive emotional lyrics paired with a deeper level of authenticity and vulnerability. Real Friends couples those elements alongside a heightened level of songwriting and production that finds the band exploring new territories in their growth.
The song’s intimate subject matter centers around the passing of bassist and lyricist Kyle Fasel’s father. “The lyrics, without a doubt, are the most personal and vulnerable I’ve ever written. It’s about my dad dying in a hospital bed in front of my eyes and the aftermath that still casts a shadow over me today,” he says. Fasel continues, “it is by far the most important song Real Friends has ever written.”
With vocalist Cody Muraro solidifying the lineup since 2021, ‘Waiting Room’ further showcases Muraro’s range and chemistry within the band. The upcoming album, set for release this fall will be Real Friend’s first full-length since 2018, following the release of 2022’s ‘There’s Nothing Worse Than Too Late’ EP. Rounded out by guitarists David Knox and Eric Haines, with drummer Brian Blake, fourteen years in, and Real Friend’s new music is anticipated to be their strongest yet.
The new single’s music video rounds out the creative vision of the song under the direction of Errick Easterday and Michael Herrick. The live energy in the performance shots of the band are enhanced by the visual aesthetic, particularly seen in the coloring and other elements. The video itself plays on the true themes of the song, using both literal and metaphorical references to encapsulate the emotional weight behind the meaning.
‘Waiting Room’ marks the first single off the forthcoming album slated for a fall 2024 release. Fans can stream the song worldwide today. Catch Real Friends performing at the touring Sad Summer Fest all summer, along with a handful of headlining clubs shows – check out the dates below.
Upcoming tour dates:
July 5th – The Slowdown – Omaha, NE
July 7th – Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
July 8th – Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
July 11th – The Backyard – Sacramento, CA
July 12th – Full Circle Brewing – Fresno, CA
July 13th – Observatory Festival Grounds – Santa Ana, CA
July 14th – Pop Punk Summer Camp Festival – Flagstaff, AZ
July 16th – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
July 19th – The Rave – Milwaukee, WI
July 20th – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL
July 21st – Crofoot Festival Grounds – Pontiac, MI
July 23rd – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
July 24th – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
July 26th – Coca-Cola Roxy – Atlanta, GA
July 27th – The BayCare Sound – Clearwater, FL
July 29th – Jacobs Pavilion – Cleveland, OH
August 1st – Pier 17 – New York, NY
August 3rd – Palladium – Worcester, MA
August 4th – The Stone Pony – Asbury Park, NJ
August 6th – Terminal B at The Outer Harbor – Buffalo, NY
August 9th – The Chrysalis at Merriweather Park – Columbia, MD
September 7th – Ohio Is For Lovers – Cincinnati, OH