The Menzingers come to Orlando

By Ida V. Eskamani

Originally published in the Orlando Weekly

"The world around us that we experience is told through stories, whether that's the way we cognitively function from an evolutionary standpoint, but even the scientific method is a story in itself."

Orlando Weekly found Menzingers co-vocalist and guitarist Tom May in his living room (converted into a recording studio) on a cold morning in Philadelphia. May is enjoying the calm before another tour — this time with the Dropkick Murphys — reflecting on the road ahead and dissecting the science of storytelling.

It's that combination of storytelling and full-throated punk that keeps the Menzingers' music so embedded in fans' hearts nearly 20 years on. From getting drunk before doing the dishes to having trouble with landlords, or even choosing to ignore the monsters our parents voted for, the Menzingers have created community through creating musical portraits of the high stakes of everyday life.

"Some universalities of shared stories that you can relate to is the way that people feel like they're not alone in the world," says May. "When we started to write songs that were more personal we realized that it resonated with our friends and our family and our fans more deeply."

It's a spirit reflected in their latest track, "Second City," featured on Red Scare Industries' 20 Years of Dreaming and Scheming compilation album. And it's the same principle guiding the band through these perpetually dystopian times.

"There's horrible things happening. There's repercussions that might not even be felt for years," says May. "Talking to your neighbors and getting away from the extreme, divisive nature of the current cultural narrative is a pathway to get people to vote differently or get people to treat people in another way."

The promise of being among a likeminded and passionate community is one big factor that helps the band consistently sell out shows.

"When you see two strangers put their arms around each other and sing along [to] songs, there's something that's deeply profound about that," says May. "And it's carried us this way, and I think it's going to continue to carry us that way."

It's the Dropkick Murphys' annual St. Patrick's Day Tour bringing the Menzingers to Orlando this week. It's a sentimental show for May.

"I grew up listening to Irish folk music that my grandparents played, my aunts and uncles played, and when I got to [my] teenage years I saw that the Dropkick Murphys were going in the path of the Pogues in mixing Irish music and punk rock. It was like something unlocked inside of me. It was just incredible," says May. "[It] feels like one of those 'destiny making itself known' situations."

From tour dinners at the Texas Roadhouse to finding the nicest coffee shop within a mile of the venue or trying their luck at the slot machines — "we call it a 20 or Dirty 30" — there's no shortage of tour lore. Florida stories, as expected, are particularly epic.

"Florida was one of the first places that we started to take off as a band. ... Orlando was where we had some of our earliest touring buddies," says May. "We recently had a day off in the Panhandle, they were calling it the Redneck Riviera there. We rented a giant golf cart-type thing. ... I ended up giving people rides to work. They were just like walking down the highway and shit. It was awesome."

As if free rides were not enough, May gives (Central) Floridians the gift of a scoop. "We're currently writing a record together now," says May. "We've told no one this. We've been writing together in preparation for this tour, and we have a bunch of time blocked off this year to continue to write together. And the batch of songs that we have written already are so good."

That's a secret just for you, Orlando. Burn this after reading.

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Ida is an Iranian-American from Florida who grew up with the Beatles, and came of age in the pit. She will talk to you about music for as long as you will pretend to listen. She is founder of Bandifesto, a little blog with a big heart