Midtown was an American pop punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States. Midtown was formed in November 1998 by three Rutgers University students, but soon became a quartet. The group released three full-length studio albums and three extended plays before disbanding in 2005. In early 2014, Midtown reunited to play three shows, the first as a secret show at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, and the two remaining at the Skate And Surf Festival.
History
Midtown was formed in 1998 by Rutgers University students Gabe Saporta, Rob Hitt, Tyler Rann. The group added Heath Saraceno on guitar/vocals, and used its roots in the New Jersey punk scene to develop a sound that combined elements of pop punk and punk rock. Midtown began recording shortly after its formation. The band's first EP, The Sacrifice of Life, was released by Pinball Records in 1999, followed by a debut album, Save the World, Lose the Girl, released in early 2000 by the American independent record labelDrive-Thru Records. The band was then upstreamed to major label MCA Records for its following album, Living Well Is the Best Revenge. Midtown's next album, Forget What You Know, was produced while the band was not under contract with a record label and was later picked up by Columbia Records. This was the band's final studio album; they disbanded shortly after its release, in 2005. Former frontman Gabe Saporta then became the lead singer of the now-defunct alternative dance/synthpop band Cobra Starship, which disbanded in November 2015. Former guitarist Heath Saraceno joined the band Senses Fail in 2005 but decided to leave them in 2009 to pursue personal endeavors. Tyler Rann went on to sing for Band of Thieves with some friends but eventually left the music business and now works in the fashion/clothing industry.
Brief reunion
On February 17, 2014, Saporta announced that Midtown has reunited and performed at the Skate and Surf Festival.
Members
Gabe Saporta – lead vocals, bass guitar
Tyler Rann – vocals, guitars
Heath Saraceno – vocals, guitars
Rob Hitt – drums, percussion
Discography
Studio albums
Save the World, Lose the Girl
Living Well Is the Best Revenge
Forget What You Know
EPs
The Sacrifice of Life
Donots vs. Midtown Split 7"
Millencolin/Midtown Split
New.Old.Rare.
Compilation appearances
Picking Up the Pieces
Liberation
Punk Goes Acoustic
Punk Goes 80s
Post-Midtown projects
Cobra Starship became the new project of Midtown's bassist and lead singer, Gabe Saporta. Their first single, "Bring It ", was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Snakes on a Plane. Their first album, While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets came out October 2006, their second album¡Viva La Cobra! came out on October 23, 2007, their third album, Hot Mess, came out on August 11, 2009, and their fourth album, Night Shades, came out on August 29, 2011. The band ultimately broke up on November 10, 2015.
Heath Saraceno played guitar and shared vocal duties in the New Jersey-based rock band Senses Fail until leaving the band after the 2009 Warped Tour. He and Senses Fail drummer, Dan Trapp, have a side-project called The Jettonnes.
