The 502s are an indie-folk band who rocked with us during SCOPE's 2024 Homecoming performance. Read on to see their creative process, experience with touring, advice to student musicians, and more!
How would you describe the identity of The 502s’ music? What musical elements do you focus on to make your songs stand out?
The 502s are beach folk. Over the years we’ve been described as rays of Florida sunshine, the sounds of celebration, and the happiest band on Earth. We started out very heavily into the indie folk scene, and over time we wanted to bring our own personalities to that sound which has helped solidify an identity. Also we’ve got banjo, piano, and saxophone as main instruments of the band which has been a big part of making our sound unique!
You recently released your third album this past April. Could you describe the process you all follow when writing songs, and how you go about connecting them to create a full body of work?
Typically our songwriting starts out with a cool verse or chorus, or some kind of musical idea like a horn melody or strumming chords on the acoustic guitar, but mostly we are trying to chase a feeling and translate that into music rather than writing music for the sake of itself. Lyrics are usually the last thing to be finished, once we have the whole structure of the song ironed out. We have over 50 songs released currently across our three full albums and multiple EPs. At this point we have put out a lot of different ideas and have a pretty good idea of what people are excited to hear from us.
Your music has been described as a blend of various genres, including roots, rock, and bluegrass. Which artists inspire you musically, and how does that influence your work?
Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, The Avett Brothers and Bear’s Den were the biggest influences early on which inspired the formation of the band. We’ve continued to take influence from that early 2010’s indie folk sound, but have also been listening to bands like Bleachers, Mt. Joy, and Caamp, and songwriters like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan. Also there are six individuals in the band and everyone has really unique musical interests and experiences, so there’s a huge diversity of inspiration when we’re in the studio!
SCOPE caught you in a break between the American and European leg of your tour. What are your favorite aspects of touring and performing live? Are there any specific experiences that stand out to you?
We love playing shows! There’s always been a desire to make our shows feel like a big block party vibe and we’re happy to be able to bring that wherever we go. In the early days we would put together tours with small venues as well as house concerts organized by family and friends and other supporters. It’s amazing to see how that has grown to now having hundreds of people singing our songs back to us, and the feeling is just amazing. That said, we’ve never stopped wanting to be connected to the people that support us. One of our favorite things is when we get to host meetups like our 502s Day celebration in Chicago this past May 2nd where we threw a big rooftop pizza and cocktail party and played a few acoustic songs for everyone. There have also been a couple of kickball games we’ve organized on off days from tour this year which have been so much fun!
At the start of the band, we were dreaming about playing big festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, and as of last year we have now done both. We’re so grateful to be where we’re at and we just want to keep making people happy with our live performances.
Are there any pre-show rituals that you have?
Everyone has their own process of getting ready, some are more rigid and others more loose. Generally it’s a good idea to warm up instrumentally and vocally, which we will sometimes do together. Other times we will split off and do what we need to get in the zone. A lot of things can happen on any given day during a tour but we all recognize that the most important thing is being ready to hit the stage and give the crowd 110%
Listening to your music, your songs often have a joyful, upbeat vibe. What other emotions do you aim to evoke in your listeners, and how do you tap into those feelings during the creative process?
We’ve always been really focused on our live show, and the emotions we want to create there have informed the songwriting process. When we’re writing a song we try to visualize how it will feel when we play it live for people, or even just how we want to feel when we’re listening alone while driving somewhere. The 502s music is perfect for a day at the beach, in the park, on a hike, or just kicking back with your friends. We’ve also had people tell us that when they’re feeling low, they use our music to give them an instant boost of serotonin, and we really hope that it helps in those moments.
That said, when we sit down to write a song that tackles feelings of sadness and loss, we put our whole selves into that as well. No matter what, it always comes straight from the heart. We always try to give people the feeling of care and belonging, and that translates 100% to the vibe of our live shows. It really feels like everyone can belong at a 502s show, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
How do you continue to evolve as artists while maintaining your signature style, and what can fans expect from your music in the future?
We’re always trying to just give the best version of The 502s possible. While we still feel very much like a folk band, we’re really only loyal to the best version of our sound, whatever that may be. Our influences are clear but at the same time we think there is a certain flavor to The 502s sound which gives us our own style of beach folk. We’re still writing for our next album and looking forward to where that may take us!
For students and young musicians just starting out, what lessons have you learned along the way that could help them as they pursue their own creative passions?
It’s all about collaboration both finding people who inspire you musically as well as help create your visual identity and branding as artists. Learning how to make good videos and connect with our audience as a part of our process has been almost as important as the music itself.
It’s also been very important for us to make sure every recording and every live show has the ability to be the best it can be. Nothing gets released by The 502s unless we all feel and agree that it’s really great. We’ve never been satisfied with “good enough”, and to this day we are always looking at every show for how to make the next one better. It can be a difficult and frustrating process but it’s also what will make you the strongest in the long run.
Of course it’s also really important to have fun and enjoy who you’re making music with. The 502s are great friends outside of the stage and the studio, and that’s what has allowed us to be doing this for so long. We all believe in what we’re doing which has made us want to go the distance together. When you focus on bringing good people into your circle, you can take each other a very long way!
In anticipation of your show on October 25, are there any insights you’d like to share with Iowa City fans? What’s the atmosphere they can look forward to at your performance?
It’s gonna be a party! We have the most fun when everyone is having a good time singing and dancing along with us, but we also have a very fluid setlist so we can play whatever feels right for the vibes. We had a great show in Des Moines on our last tour and we’re excited for our first time in Iowa City. Go Hawkeyes!!