Bradenton's We the Kings on packed Manatee concert: 'Hometown show was so fun'

Jerry Abbey, 52, has been to 16 We the Kings concerts. Attending them with his daughter, Sarah, 20, left, has become a family hobby. The Abbeys, who are from Ohio, posed while waiting in line before Thursday's free show at The Hall in Palmetto. RICHARD DYMOND/Bradenton Herald

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/28/4331145/we-the-kings-pack-the-hall-in.html#storylink=cpy

 
Fans of We the Kings arrived four hours early for the platinum-selling pop-punk band's Hometown Holiday Show Thursday at The Hall in Palmetto.

While the band from Bradenton sold out previous pay shows at the 950-capacity Manatee County venue, this year's local concert was gratis.

Free tickets were given out on a first-come, first-serve basis at the door.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/27/4329913/famed-bradenton-rock-band-we-the.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/27/4329913/famed-bradenton-rock-band-we-the.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/27/4329913/famed-bradenton-rock-band-we-the.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/11/4312100/we-the-kings-travis-clark-on-free.html#storylink=cpy

"We want front-of-stage presence," said Maria Reynolds, 21, of Jacksonville, when asked why she and her four friends arrived at 3 p.m. for the 7 p.m. show.

Read more. 

"Hometown show was so fun," Tweeted Charles Trippy, the bassist for We the Kings, at 1:40 a.m. on Friday.

"We wanted to do something where we could give back," We the Kings singer/guitarist Travis Clark told me shortly after announcing the show. "Christmas time is really damaging on peoples' wallets and we didn't want anyone worrying about buying a ticket. It's our friends and family and only seems right to give back to the community."

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/12/27/4329913/famed-bradenton-rock-band-we-the.html#storylink=cpy

We the Kings free show today near Bradenton

We the Kings play free 'Hometown Holiday Show' show today at The Hall in Palmetto.

Tis the season for holiday happenings.

And for fans of modern rock, it doesn't get much better than this bash.

The platinum-selling pop-punk band We the Kings' sixth annual Hometown Holiday Show will be a freebie 7 p.m. today (Dec. 27) at The Hall in Palmetto.

It will be first-come, first-serve at the door to receive free tickets. Meet-and-greet tickets will be available for $50 and include early entry and a meet-and-greet with We The Kings. Meet-and-greet tickets can be purchased only at Georgia Carpet World, 5425 14th St., Bradenton, during normal business hours.

We the Kings, which formed in Bradenton, sold out all its previous pay shows at the 950-capacity Manatee County venue.

"We wanted to do something where we could give back," singer/guitarist Travis Clark told the Herald. "Christmas time is really damaging on peoples' wallets and we didn't want anyone worrying about buying a ticket. It's our friends and family and only seems right to give back to the community.

"We're expecting an absolutely packed and wild party," Clark added. "Each year it gets better and better."

Boyce Avenue, a rock band that formed in Sarasota and released the album "All that We Have Left" through Universal in 2010, is also scheduled to perform during the four-hour concert that starts at 7 p.m.

"They're amazing guys and really good friends of ours and super talented," Clark said. "They have the same hometown pride that we do."

Clark, who grew up in Bradenton and has a house here, moved to Hollywood about four months ago.

Read more here.

New Year's Eve celebrations and more in Weekend.


—Publicity photo of We the Kings.

UPDATED 12/11: We the Kings to play free Bradenton area show; singer Travis Clark on song for 'Hunger Games' sequel

UPDATED 12/11: We the Kings' Travis Clark on free show near Bradenton, new song for 'Hunger Games' sequel

Travis Clark, right, and Hunter Thomsen of We The Kings performed a concert just for students Sept. 13, 2011, at The Bridge Church in Bradenton. HERALD FILE PHOTO.

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/2011/12/travis-clark-promises-special-we-kings.html#storylink=cpy

Platinum-selling punk-pop band We the Kings are returning to their native Bradenton area for a special concert. 

Singer/guitarist Travis Clark sent me this info last night:

The band's 6th annual Hometown Holiday Show will be a free performance 7 p.m. Dec. 27 at The Hall, 1330 US 301 Palmetto.

Boyce Avenue, a rock band that formed in Sarasota and released the album "All that We Have Left" through Universal in 2010, plus special guests, are also scheduled to perform during the four-hour concert.

It will be first come first serve at the door to receive free tickets. Meet and greet tickets will be available for $50 and include early entry and a meet and greet with We The Kings. Meet and greet tickets can be purchased only at Georgia Carpet World, 5425 14th St., Bradenton, during normal business hours.

Last year, the members of Bradenton's nationally acclaimed band were honored by the Manatee County Commission with "We the Kings Day." The group's many accomplishments include the hit single “Check Yes Juliet,” which has garnered about 14 million views on YouTube and sold more than 1 million copies.

I talked to Clark, who grew up in Bradenton, on the one-year anniversary of "We the Kings Day."

"It's hard to believe that it's been a year," Clark said in October. "When we think back to all of the amazing things that have happened so far, we always remember the key to the city, the annual hometown shows, and We The Kings Day!"
 
Clark graduated from Manatee High School in 2003. The front man, along with his We the Kings band mates Hunter Thomsen (guitar, backing vocals) and Danny Duncan (drums), grew up in Bradenton and attended King Middle School, which is where the group got its name.

"You don't know how much your hometown can shape you as a person until you leave," Clark said. "And I can safely say that each one of us in the band are better people because of Bradenton, because of our family, because of our friends, and because of our fans."

"941 forever," he added, referencing the Manatee County area code. "We'll see you at the 6th annual hometown We The Kings show."

Read more here: http://heraldbuzzworthy.blogspot.com/2012/10/we-kings-travis-clark-says-theyre.html#storylink=cpy

We the Kings also includes Charles Trippy (bass) and Coley O'Toole (guitar, piano, backing vocals).

UPDATED 4:35 P.M.: We The Kings DVD in Bradenton: concert Dec. 23

UPDATED 4:35 p.m.: Just got off the phone with Travis Clark of We the Kings. He's enjoying shooting DVD on Old Main Street in downtown Bradenton. The band will be filmed singing karaoke tonight at Tequila Beach Sport Grille, 7423 Manatee Ave.,W., Bradenton.

UPDATE 4:09 p.m: Travis Clark being interviewed for We the Kings DVD on top of what appears to be the Bradenton Financial Center in downtown:

UPDATE: Photo Gallery of Travis Clark arriving at SRQ Wednesday morning.

Photo by Paul Videla

Bradenton pop-rock band We the Kings, which recently were awarded for more than one million sales of single "Check Yes Juliet," are shooting their first DVD.

Singer/guitarist Travis Clark (pictured far right) will be met by camera crew and fans at SRQ airport at 11 a.m. today.

Filming began Wednesday at 9:41 p.m. and continues through 9:41 p.m. Thursday when WTK takes the stage at the Hall in Palmetto.

Clark explains in interview he did for this story running today in the Herald.