Story and Photos By Kaydra Hopkins

Walking into the venue, low rock music plays over the speakers. You pay the attendant the cover, walk past the bar, and head to get your spot in the pit. The energy is electric, every face charged for the night ahead. Around the stage, guitars, basses, and cases lay anxiously, ready to give the audience what they came for. The house lights lower as the band makes their way to the stage, mismatched chords ring out, ensuring everything is tuned just right. The cheer grows as the stage lights slowly brighten. Everyone is eager to see their favorite artist play their favorite song -- and to feel part of something bigger.

What many people don't see is the labor behind every electric performance, especially in the pop punk and alt scene, where community comes first. "The bands and the fans are on the same plane," says RingPop! frontman Jake Minche. Authenticity is key. The world behind each show is years in the making: honest songwriting, endless studio hours, and the lived reality of a scene obsessed with making authentic connections -- crafted as much in weeks of social media posts, merch drops, and genuine engagement as in practice rooms. "We love to talk to fans," Minche says. "There are things we do that are very marketable for people to get into, but I'd like to think if they come to a show that we're very down to earth and chill to talk to."

Before facing the crowd, Minche spends 30 minutes in his car warming up his voice and mentally preparing to deliver the most authentic show possible. This ritual, rooted in care for the crowd, sets the tone for the entire band. RingPop! has built a visual identity as well, blending emo nostalgia with distinct colors and styles. Authenticity in energy comes from modeling their heroes and being radically present. "We all have our idols that we look up to and model ourselves after, and modeling that on stage is what makes us, us," says Brooks (drums), who channels Travis Barker. Minche draws inspiration from Matty Healy of The 1975 and Parker Cannon of The Story So Far. "We don't know them, but they're good performers." As guitarist Burket laughs, "We wear what we wear online." The color palette, bright pink drums, colorful guitars, mirrors the energy of their Boston roots.

As RingPop! grows, their fans reflect that growth by wearing pink and band merch to shows. "One of our fans even has a tattoo of our album cover on their arm. They're from Kansas," Minche marvels, underscoring music's power to build lasting bonds. This world is built song by song, through themes of friendship, hope, and consistent performance. Minche calls it "a way to attract bands and build nostalgia," not just for RingPop!, but for a whole generation of 2000s kids chasing "Y2K energy."

"One of our fans even has a tattoo of our album cover on their arm!"

That authenticity shapes every detail, from album art (the long commitment to pink) to set lists and stage banter. "It happens one thing at a time. The first album cover was the first step… by the time we were done writing the first album, we knew it was going to be pink for a long while," Burket says. "We do one thing, and when we do the next thing we try to call back to the last thing," Dylan adds. What matters is inviting fans to truly belong.

Social media is now as vital as any backstage ritual or lyric notebook. "The amount of time spent in the studio can be unbalanced. This year we've been playing non-stop since May. It goes in waves," Minche shares. Releasing new music is how bands stay real: fans see the cycle, writing, recording, shooting promo, grinding through tour months, "playing until you're sick of it," but always showing up for the community.

Online, RingPop! answers comments, especially when new music drops, reinforcing fan bonds. "We don't take ourselves too seriously, we value friendship, love, and peace… connections with people… we try to make connections on the road. It feels like a good community," Minche says. In fact, the boundaries blur: in pop punk, many concertgoers are in other bands or are connected as friends, making every show a reunion.

This spirit finds pure expression in the pit. Moshing, the wild, sweaty dance of the crowd, is more than chaos, it's community. When someone falls, they're immediately lifted up by others. It's a metaphor for the support central to the scene: push each other to new heights, lift each other when down, and keep moving together. In every city, Minche says, the vibe shifts, but the community remains. He recalls a night with one fan singing every word, even to the deepest cuts: "It was so special. Especially that night, knowing our music affected someone that much."

Ultimately, pop punk's magic is found in these bonds. Real artist-fan connection isn't just about viral content, it's about a shared space where music, friendship, and authenticity echo through every chord and chorus. Anyone can post a track, but not everyone inspires tattoos or singalongs for every lyric. For RingPop! and artists like Minche, these moments are why the scene, and its sense of belonging, endures.

Want to follow RingPop! on their growth to sold-out arena shows? Follow them on Instagram

Find more photos by Kaydra Hopkins