A Day To Remember’s Parks and Devastation Tour arrives on the heels of a successful legal struggle to self-release their latest album, “Common Courtesy” (which has since gone on to sell more than 200,000 copies), several European appearances and the launch of the band’s own Self Help Festival, which drew 12,000 people. They’ll stop at the Oakdale in Wallingford on Wednesday, Sept. 10 with fellow heavy rockers Bring Me the Horizon, Chiodos and Motionless In White.
CTNow asked guitarist Kevin Skaff about some of the band’s recent accomplishments and what’s been keeping him busy.
CTNow: You just returned from playing shows in Europe. How do audiences there respond to red-blooded American rock?
Kevin Skaff: Touring in Europe is awesome. You can tell that they care that you make the trip over to play for them. It always far exceeds any expectations.
CTNow: The Parks and Devastation Tour kicks off in Pittsburgh on Sept. 4. What can we expect to see and hear?
KS: It’s an attack on the senses. I guess you’ll just have to come see it for yourself.
CTNow: You’ve developed your own sound, and the way you approach song structure — merging hardcore with more melodic stuff — is very unique. Any musical models along the way that sort of gave you a sense it would all work out?
KS: It all just comes together when you get us in a room for recording. Especially when Wade, Chad and Tom are there too. Nowadays there’s a lot of bands trying to get that sound but it always feels off to me. When it’s us it just comes together.
CTNow: Any current musical obsessions? Books? Movies? Binge-watching TV shows?
KS: I finished “Mad Men.” Holy shit, what an undertaking that was. I’m now watching “Orange Is The New Black.” I recently started getting into old movies too, pretty much anything with Paul Newman like “The Sting” or “Cool Hand Luke.” Or Steve McQueen, like “The Great Escape” or “The Thomas Crowne Affair.”
CTNow: Assuming there’s time: what do you like to do when you roll into a new town on tour?
KS: We always Trip Advisor the number one restaurant in town. It usually works out well. Me personally, I like to catch a movie or go to a guitar shop.
CTNow: Lightning round: “Pretty Hate Machine” or “Metal Machine Music?” Overdrive or distortion? Sabbath or Zeppelin?
KS: “Pretty Hate Machine,” overdrive, Zeppelin.
A DAY TO REMEMBER performs on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, with Bring Me the Horizon, Chiodos and Motionless In White opening. Showtime is 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.50-$39.50. Information: oakdale.com.
