Night Riots

California's Night Riots make anthemic, synth-heavy dance-rock centered on lead vocalist Travis Hawley. Hailing from Templeton, California, a small town outside San Luis Obispo, Night Riots began as a high-school band featuring Hawley on drums with Matt DePauw on guitar and Mikel Van Kranenburg on bass. By 2010, Hawley had moved to lead vocals with Rico Rodriguez taking over drumming duties. That same year, going under the name PK, the group released the self-produced album Into the Roaring. Two years later they returned with the Lost Boys Sessions EP. Around this time, they formally adopted the name Night Riots and released their second EP, Young Lore. Rather than sign with a label, Night Riots built up a following by touring regularly with a focus on playing multiple shows in each town, including making appearances at local high schools. The concept worked and the group developed a loyal fan base despite its comparatively low public profile. In 2015, Night Riots released their third studio EP, Howl, featuring the single "Contagious."