The 502s @ The Paramount

The 502s rocked their performance at The Paramount on September 5, 2024 in Huntington, NY. With Oliver Hazard warming up the crowd, it was a night to remember.

Oliver Hazard

The three members of Oliver Hazard hail from the same soil, born and raised in Northwest Ohio. Devin and Griffin from Waterville, and Michael from across the river in Perrysburg. They came together nearly two years ago when Michael decided to head home after living in San Fransisco. Griffin and Devin, who had been playing at local venues for years, heard from Michael to collaborate on some music. That request became the beginning of Oliver Hazard.

The bandmates recall their musical style, each filling in where the others trail off. Responses, collectively, ramble forward. With the threesome finishing each other’s sentences in an effortless flow of sarcasm, giggles and banter. The way their voices blend into one another in song, build off of the other to create simplistic folk overtures.

pulled from Toledo City Paper

The 502s

The 502s provide the soundtrack for adventure, and that’s exactly the spirit behind the recent viral TikTok trend of their song “Just A Little While”. While the song was released in October 2021 as the lead-off to their album Could It Get Better Than This, it exploded in popularity in December, coinciding with the end of the fall school semester. The band fired up their TikTok one day and saw thousands of videos from college and high school students posting compilations of their school year experiences, all scored by the ebullient chorus of “Just A Little While”. Soon the trend caught on with users of all ages, locations and backgrounds. The song appeared in videos of everything from motivational videos to makeup tutorials to globetrotting excursions.

The result has been a massive influx of millions of new fans, pushing their streaming numbers through the roof and landing them on Billboard’s Hot Rock and Alternative chart, as well as the #3 spot on Spotify’s Top Viral 50 tracks. The 502s have grabbed the spotlight overnight, but they’re anything but a flash in the pan. The six strapping lads are no strangers to TikTok audiences, following a prior viral moment back in 2020 with a video for their song “Magdalene”. The most recent album is their second full length, and the band has already traveled on multiple tours across North America and Europe.

The 502s’ sound can be described as a combination of the familiar folk pop singalongs of The Lumineers with the swelling instrumental energy of Paul Simon’s Graceland. Employing banjo, piano, and soprano saxophone as main instruments, the band is full of unexpected surprises and always ready to bring a smile and a shout when they hit the stage.

pulled from Botanique