We start at the turn of the millennium, when a handful of overlooked scenes fostered a slew of promising groups who hardly dreamed of any sort of success, outside of filling basements and Elks Lodges (often with the help of five other bands). For Thursday, Midtown, and Saves the Day in New Jersey; Brand New and Taking Back Sunday on Long Island; Dashboard Confessional in Florida; and the hardcore kids who’d soon form Fall Out Boy in the Chicago burbs, local heroes were exactly that: local.
