The Get Up Kids
Lawrence, Kansas13 reviews across 5 releases
The Get Up Kids are a Kansas City, Missouri, band formed in 1995 after the breakup of Kingpin and Secret Decoder Ring. Their early records joined Midwestern power-pop to emo-punk, with loud guitars driving songs built around strong melodies; the vocals could sound strained or nasal when pushed. Matt Pryor's writing centered at first on romantic rejection and its aftermath. The 1999 Something to Write Home About sharpened the approach established by Red Letter Day, adding keyboards and highly singable pop-rock arrangements without losing the band's urgency. On 2002's On A Wire, acoustic guitar and organ moved forward, while the tempos eased toward British pop and alternative country. The change divided reviewers, though they noted stronger lead guitar and more mature songwriting. Guilt Show brought back faster rock and tight harmonies while widening the lyrics to more mature subjects.
On March 8, 2005, The Get Up Kids announced their breakup after a farewell tour that ended with a sold-out Kansas City show on July 2. Pryor continued with The New Amsterdams. Jim Suptic formed Blackpool Lights, while Rob Pope joined Spoon. James Dewees played with New Found Glory before joining My Chemical Romance. The band reunited at Kansas City's Record Bar on November 16, 2008, first to mark the tenth anniversary of Something to Write Home About, then to record again. They issued There Are Rules in 2011 on their own Quality Hill Records after another hiatus, followed by the Kicker EP in 2018 and Problems in 2019 through Polyvinyl. The Get Up Kids continued performing, including 25th-anniversary tours in 2024 and 2025.
