Bands like VersaEmerge are one of the greatest parts about SXSW. The scrappy quintet of Florida pop punk rockers was unloading their own equipment when I caught up with them. They recently released an EP on the Fueled By Ramen, and are going to be one of the headlining acts on this year’s Warped Tour.

Lead singer Sierra Kusterbeck is only 18, her bandmates 20 and 21, and they’ve yet to be jaded by the rockstar lifestyle. While we’re talking someone randomly approached and offered the band a cake. A bit later, while we were actually talking about fans spotting them, a small contingent of teens came up. “They didn’t believe me that you guys were actually here outside!” explained the fan who brought her friends over. The band took it all in stride, and when the fans complained that they weren’t able to see the show, VersaEmerge began to contemplate a free streetside acoustic performance. Next thing you know, our photographer Jamie Newman was getting the fan a pass into the PureVolume tent where VersaEmerge is playing their only SXSW show.

They spent two weeks in the studio with James Paul Wisner, the producer behind Under Oath and Dashboard Confessional. “There’s something about him,” says Sierra, “he pulls the best out of you so you just get it done super fast.”  In addition to the top-notch production values, the band is playing the Ernie Ball Stage this year for the Vans Warped Tour, a pretty prime spot now that the tour has scaled back to only four stages. “They really wanted a new fresh band to get on the stage, and we’d love to do it,” said Devin Ingelido. Fans of the band will be out of luck if they can’t get into the show on Friday night – after that they head back into the van for a long ride out to the coast, where they’ll keep on playing hard and working hard.

Anthony Martone-Drums

Blake Harnage-Guitar-Vocals-Programming

Jerry Pierce-Guitar

Sierra

Sierra Kusterbeck-Lead Vocals

Devin Ingelido-Bass

Words by  Jacob Cottingham. Photos by Jamie Newman