The Wonder Years' Dan Campbell Reflects on New Album and Messing With Dolphins Fans

Attention: Dan Campbell is making his return.

No, Dolphins fans, not that Dan Campbell — the interim Fins coach in 2015. It's Dan Campbell the lead singer of the Philly-bred pop-punk outfit the Wonder Years.

The band — also featuring guitarists Matt Brasch and Casey Cavaliere, bassist Josh Martin, drummer Mike Kennedy, and keyboardist Mikey Kelly — will play Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale May 12.

“When [Dolphins head coach] Dan Campbell was the interim coach, I was actually the only verified Dan Campbell on Twitter at the time,” he recalls with a laugh. “I loved it. People tweeted at me with legitimate advice, and I would really fuck with them. With this one guy, he was so excited to be tweeting with the Dolphins' head coach, but I eventually had to break it to him. Now the coach is with the Saints, so I have new people to hear from.”

Aside from joking with entirely too many South Floridians in 2015, Campbell has been quite busy with the Wonder Years crew. In 2015, the band released its highest-charting album to date, No Closer to Heaven, which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.

Just over a month ago, the Wonder Years released its sixth studio album, Sister Cities. Like most of the band’s work, it is lyrically brilliant and delectably emotional. Yet this new album takes themes of connection and the human experience to an all-new level.

“Every song comes together a little differently... You just never know how it will happen,” Campbell says. “This album was put together a bit more methodically, with two years' worth of material coming from tour journals. And then those moments were turned into concepts and, ultimately, to lyrics.”
So far, the new songs are translating pretty damn well, even abroad. In April, the Wonder Years played seven gigs in nine days in the United Kingdom.

“Oh, man, those fans in the U.K.,” Campbell says. “They are drunker for sure and party so hard. It’s usually a big part of the pride there. Now, that is not a challenge for our U.S. fans. Drink responsibly.”

You likely won’t need too much of a buzz to have a good time with the Wonder Years in Lauderdale. The music should be intoxicating enough.

“It’s going to be louder and brighter, with a ton of songs strung together, some of which we haven’t done,”  Campbell says of their set. “Everything we do, we want to level it up from the last time we were there.”

The Wonder Years. With Tigers Jaw, Tiny Moving Parts, and Worriers. 7 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-449-1025; jointherevolution.net. Tickets cost $22.50 via ticketmaster.com.