On Monday, March 3, legendary Long Island native emo band, Brand New, announced their reunion with three shows scheduled for the end of March. The shows will take place in Texas, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Brand New, which was formed in Levittown, New York, in 2000, is considered a titan of the 2000s emo scene in America. The band’s ever-changing style constantly brought in new fans and served as an indie and alt-rock inspiration. Their 2001 debut “Your Favorite Weapon” is an iconic pop punk album, but the band’s sound matured as they aged. Their 2006 release, “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me,” is still critically acclaimed as one of the greatest rock albums of the century.
In 2017, Brand New reached the peak of their popularity when they released “Science Fiction,” a record which saw the band venture into indie and acoustic rock, a leap they made expertly. Not only was the album critically acclaimed, it also earned them their first ever number one spot on the Billboard 200, which they held for two weeks.
The good fortune would not last long though as, in November of that year, not a month after the first leg of their North American tour ended, lead singer Jesse Lacey was accused of sexual misconduct with multiple minors. A few weeks later, all future tour dates were canceled, and Lacey released a statement.
“The actions of my past have caused pain and harm to a number of people, and I want to say that I am absolutely sorry,” Lacey wrote. “I do not stand in defense of myself, nor do I forgive myself. I was selfish, narcissistic and insensitive in my past, and there are a number of people who have had to shoulder the burden of my failures. I apologize for the hurt I have caused and hope to be able to take the correct actions to earn forgiveness and trust.”
The accusations prematurely began what was supposed to be a two-year hiatus for the band. There was complete radio silence from all members of the band until last year. Rumors of private shows swirled around the internet, with a private friends and family-only show confirmed last December for the charity organization Make Life Skate Life.
This January, Lacey made a more public appearance. He traveled to Los Angeles to play a small solo benefit show for the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires. On Jan. 31, Lacey took the stage with an acoustic guitar for his first known solo performance in nearly eight years. Fan videos emerged quickly after the show, and the internet reaction was palpable. While there was much outcry over his performance due to the allegations against him, a large sect of fans were ecstatic to have the possibility of a Brand New reunion and believed that Lacey deserves a second chance.
On Saturday, March 2, Lacey played a larger show in Nashville, Tennessee, and debuted new songs. The next day, Brand New announced their reunion, along with three tour dates. Online reactions have been mixed, with some comments hailing the reunion as an incredible moment, and with others not being able to reconcile with Lacey’s allegations. Time will tell whether Lacey or the band as a whole address the elephant in the room, but with a tour and almost certainly some new music on the horizon, one of Long Island’s greatest bands has officially returned.
