All-too-relatable and inescapably catchy pop-punk lyrics blast from speakers as people show off band T-shirts and daydream of Warped Tour.

Maybe the scene is a basement party from the early 2000s, or maybe it’s Blue Moose on Friday packed with nostalgically punk college kids there to see their longtime favorites, We the Kings, Hunter Thomsen, Travis Clark, Coley O’Toole, Danny Duncan, and Charles Trippy.

Lead guitarist Thomsen said that since the conception of the band in 2005, he has lived a dream turned reality.

“My parents got me my first guitar when I was about 5 or 6, and I just picked it up and never put it down,” he said. “Then I was in high school with [lead vocalist Clark]. He came back after seeing a concert one night, and was like, ‘Hey, bring that guitar over to my house — let’s be in a band, that’s the only way we can get girls.’ We started writing songs in our garage, putting them out whenever we could. We had a bunch of bad songs before we started putting out the good music. Then we got signed, and everything took off from there.”

The band is on its From Here to Mars tour along with openers Elena Coates and label-mates AJR and She Is We.

The show also features Thomsen and keyboardist O’Toole’s side project Brother James. Thomsen said after being off the road for a few years, it feels great to get back out playing rock shows to the cities and fans they love. This time around, the band is rolling out production as well, including a DeLorean-looking drum set and killer lighting schemes.

“It’s just been a minute since we’ve been on the road, back on our bus,” he said. “It’s fun getting out there, feeling the energy from the crowd, giving it right back. And having a couple beers at the end of the night to unwind. You can’t beat that, sitting around watching sports with your best friends after you’ve played a solid rock show.”

Enjoying a lot of radio time, the band features its single “The Story of Tonight” from the musical Hamilton on stage to eager crowds. Thomsen said it plays well every night, but his heart is with another favorite from the new album, “Strange Love.”

“You always hope any song is going to do well, so it’s like choosing a kid, hard to choose a favorite, but ‘Runaway’ … it’s my favorite song,” he said. “I had a big hand in writing that song along with [O’Toole]. It goes off every night really well; we play it on this tour that we’re on, and it’s really just a sentimental, smash hit in my opinion.”

Iowa is not a new scene for the band — Thompsen slipped plenty of Slipknot references, a native Iowa band, into his interview — and playing a more intimate venue here is something to look forward to.

“You can really feel the energy,” he said. “When you do bigger tours, like the Warped Tour, it’s still pretty intimate, but when the people are right there in your face, their sweat right on you from the front row, that’s some real rock ’n’ roll. Blue Moose should be good, looking forward to that one. With Slipknot opening, hopefully.”
MUSIC
We the Kings
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Blue Moose, 211 Iowa
Admission: $25