The Get Up Kids have unveiled their first-ever music video for “Ten Minutes,” the energetic fan favorite from the 25th anniversary reissue of their iconic sophomore album, Something to Write Home About. This reissue is set to be available digitally on August 23rd and physically on September 20th via Polyvinyl Record Co.
Directed by their longtime friend and scene peer, Josh Berwanger of The Anniversary, the video for “Ten Minutes” is a nostalgic collage of rare archival live footage, DIY show posters, photos, and other memorabilia from the era. The remastered single is out now, accompanied by its demo version, giving fans a glimpse into the song’s robust, road-tested origins.
Reflecting on the creation of “Ten Minutes,” songwriter, guitarist, and singer Jim Suptic shared, “When I wrote the opening guitar riff, my inspiration was ‘Do the Vampire’ by Superdrag. It’s pretty obvious once you know. Their album Head Trip in Every Key was on heavy rotation when we were writing Something to Write Home About. Watching the new video and listening to the song now, it’s striking how young we were—some of us were literally teenagers. My voice almost sounds like a different person. That might be why the album resonated with so many people; we were singing about universal struggles of that age. At its core, Something to Write Home About is a coming-of-age record. Josh did a fantastic job editing the video. He and his band, The Anniversary, were there for a lot of these moments.”
Following their current headlining tour of South America, the band—comprising Suptic (guitar/vocals), Matt Pryor (guitar/vocals), Rob Pope (bass), Ryan Pope (drums), and Dustin Kinsey (keys)—will embark on a North American tour. They’ll perform the seminal album in its entirety, with many shows already sold out, culminating in a performance at Las Vegas’ Best Friends Forever Fest. The full tour itinerary is listed below, and tickets are on sale now.
The release of the “Ten Minutes” video follows last month’s premiere of their first music video for the album’s urgent opener, “Holiday,” along with its demo version. This release received praise from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, and more. The band was also featured on the July cover of UPSET magazine, and Pryor and Suptic recently appeared on The Brooklyn Vegan Podcast to share behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the album. Something to Write Home About (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) is available for pre-order now.
Reflecting on their journey, Pryor commented, “Our first record is what it is—its imperfections are part of its charm. But I wanted us to record something that sounded like a real band, professional and big.” Working with Chad Blinman and Alex Brahl at LA’s Mad Hatter studio, The Get Up Kids achieved the massive sound they envisioned. Released on September 28th, 1999, the album emerged into a rock scene dominated by commercial rock, post-grunge, and nü-metal. “Nothing that was popular sounded like our album,” said Suptic. “That style of music wasn’t mainstream.” Yet the album, alongside releases from Jimmy Eat World and The Promise Ring, helped define the pop-leaning emo genre and inspired bands like Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance.
Something to Write Home About not only influenced a generation of bands but also positioned Vagrant Records as a key player in the emo scene, leading to tours with Green Day and Weezer and sold-out headline shows. The album climbed to #31 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and achieved six-figure sales, a significant feat for an indie release in the late ’90s.
The 2024 reissue, remastered by Joe LaPorta at Sterling Sound, includes a second LP featuring 12 rare or previously unreleased demos and a 28-page booklet with handwritten lyrics, photos, and more. For longtime fans, this definitive version of Something to Write Home About offers a journey back to formative times, while the band members themselves are transported back to their early days in downtown Kansas City.
“When I hear those particular demos,” said Rob Pope, “it takes me right back to that rehearsal room.”
The Get Up Kids 2024 Tour Dates
08/09 – Mexico City, Mexico – Foro La Paz
08/10 – Monterrey, Mexico – Foro Tims
08/23 – Dallas, TX – Studio at The Factory #
08/24 – Austin, TX – Mohawk #
08/25 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger #
08/27 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile #
08/29 – San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park #
08/30 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour # [SOLD OUT]
08/31 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour # [SOLD OUT]
09/01 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour # [SOLD OUT]
09/03 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall # [SOLD OUT]
09/04 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall #
09/06 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Spokane #
09/07 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall #
09/08 – Seattle, WA – Showbox #
09/10 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot #
09/11 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre #
09/13 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar # [SOLD OUT]
09/14 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck # [SOLD OUT]
09/15 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck # [SOLD OUT]
09/24 – Columbus, OH – The Athenaeum Theatre #
09/25 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live #
09/27 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer # [SOLD OUT]
09/28 – New York, NY – Warsaw # [SOLD OUT]
09/29 – New York, NY – Warsaw #
10/01 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony # [SOLD OUT]
10/03 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live #
10/04 – Buffalo, NY – Electric City #
10/05 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall #
10/06 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall #
10/08 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave #
10/09 – Minneapolis, MN – Uptown Theater #
10/10 – Chicago, IL – Metro #
10/11 – Chicago, IL – Metro # [SOLD OUT]
10/13 – Las Vegas, NV – Best Friends Forever Festival
# w/ Smoking Popes