Fest 11

American Pinup formed in 2010, emerging from the suburban sprawl and unsung underground music scene of Westchester County, New York. The indie/punk four-piece combines elements of rockabilly, surf rock, punk, pop, folk, and ska to create a unique and fresh alternative sound, and has been pegged by AMP magazine as the "voice of the new decade." Blending the DIY ethos of the punk scene with a reverence for the melody and simplicity intrinsic to pop music, American Pinup has carved out their own niche in the world of independent music.


Frontwoman Lauren West combines soulful, melodic crooning with raspy, punk rock vocals, adding dimension to their hooky composititions and energetic live performances. In the DIY tradition, the band produced their debut LP independently in drummer Andy Porta's basement studio. It quickly caught the attention of Altercation Records, who signed the quartet and released the record, Strange Creatures, in February 2011.

American Pinup has appeared at festivals such as SXSW, Red Gorilla, and Valley of the Vapors since their debut release. In February 2012, they released a split album with New Jersey's Lost In Society on Altercation Records and spent March on a co-headlining national tour in support of the release. They will be returning to the studio in June 2012 to record their sophomore full-length, due out in late 2012.