By Olivia Krauth–

It’s 5:01 p.m. and I’m running down a sidewalk on Third Street, late for an interview with AWOLNATION front man, Aaron Bruno. The misty rain isn’t helping, turning my semi-disheveled appearance into something closer to a wet rat.

Fall Out Boy and AWOLNATION were in Louisville for their Wintour Tour. I was lucky enough to get an interview with one of them, but I was going to miss it and everyone on the tour was going to be mad at me. Thankfully, everyone backstage was calm, despite it being less than hour from doors opening. AWOL’s tour manager Dan led me through a labyrinth of curtains and doors before I found myself standing in the dressing room.

Dan gives me the nod, and I walk in, making eye contact with a guy with a California surfer’s tan and tousled blonde hair on the couch. It’s Bruno, who just finished another round of a rummy tournament with his wife.

“We’ve been playing rummy every day, which I think is a grandma card game and we’re having a great time doing it,” Bruno explained.

The electronic rock band released their second album “Run” last year, which Bruno said is the first time he’s released a follow-up album. The founder and lead singer of AWOL isn’t entirely sure how he got to be on tour with Fall Out Boy, but seems glad it’s happening.

“You know, I don’t totally know, probably a management kind of thing, typical behind the scenes, suits getting together type of thing,” Bruno said. “We’ve done mostly headlining and that’s great. But this is real fun for us. You can see we’re just messing around, there’s not as much pressure. It’s easier because we get to gain new fans and have the opportunity to prove ourselves.

The band is probably best known for their song “Sail,” and I ask Bruno about the best way to dance to it.

“I mean, whichever way you like,” Bruno said. “I heard it’s a great stripper song. I don’t go to strip clubs. I haven’t gone since I was 18, and that was even strange for me.

“The best way to dance to it I guess would be not try to be someone else,” Bruno said. “At these shows a lot of the time, we try to get everyone up and dancing as much as they can and I encourage everyone to just let their inner dancer come out and not try to emulate someone else.”

As mellow as Bruno was in the interview, he was the complete opposite onstage a few hours later. It was clear he follows his own dancing advice during performances, leading one of my friends to say he “looked slightly possessed, but definitely owned it.” When I asked her if she liked the performance, her response was, “OH YEAH,” in a tone that needed no further explanation. Simply put, it was a good show.

But Bruno and the gang only kicked things off. Headliner Fall Out Boy was next. While crews moved things around on stage between acts, I talk to the guy next to me, who referred to Fall Out Boy as “our generation’s Nickelback.” I respectfully disagree, mainly because everyone, at some point or another, has probably liked Fall Out Boy.

Angsty, sixth-grader me loved the equally angsty, pre-hiatus pop punk group – the first song I ever downloaded on iTunes was “Dance, Dance.” Then the band broke up and I grew up and moved on in my musical journey. In 2013, the band reemerged, replacing any relation to screamo with rock. They slid back into my playlists, but never really regained the status they held in my heart in 2006.

A curtain drop kicked me out of my reflection period, as the band started playing “Irresistible” without warning (and no, Demi Lovato was not present).

The next two hours had a mix of old and new. Classics from “From Under the Cork Tree” and newer, post-hiatus songs from “Save Rock and Roll” and “American Beauty/American Psycho” both got the crowd screaming every word. Even lesser known songs like “Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes” and “Hum Hallelujah” got a positive reaction. The crowd, pretty evenly split between high schoolers and their chaperones, and college students kicking off spring break, bounced balloons around as they danced and cheered. Lead singer Patrick Stump somehow sounds as amazing in person as he does on records, and the crowd was thankful for that.

Hours before, Bruno said they try to keep things “pretty mellow” prior to the shows – a total contrast with the packed show that my ears are still ringing from a day later. I believe the proper Fall Out Boy phrase for the evening would be “thanks for the memories,” stylistically known as “thnks fr th mmrs.”

Photo by Olivia Krauth / The Louisville Cardinal

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Check out our full Q&A with AWOLNATION front man Aaron Bruno:

TLC: Let’s start with music. What changes, if any, have you made between your first album and this one, “Run?”

AB: This was the first time I’ve ever had a follow-up to anything. All of the other records I’ve made were debut albums for various bands I was in before. This was the first time there was any anticipation of any kind. I suppose having that understanding changed my mentality going into it for sure.

TLC: How did this tour happen? How did you meet up with Fall Out Boy?

AB: You know, I don’t totally know, probably a management kind of thing, typical behind the scenes, suits getting together type of thing. I believe we both work with LiveNation now, and I think they’re the ones putting on the tour maybe? I could be totally wrong, which would suck if I’m wrong. I think Fall Out Boy felt we were a good way to open up the show.

TLC: That’s awesome. Were you stoked?

AB: Yeah. We’ve never done a big, opening up – we’ve done mostly headlining and that’s great. But this is real fun for us. You can see we’re just messing around, there’s not as much pressure. It’s easier because we get to gain new fans and have the opportunity to prove ourselves. If you’re headlining, of course there’s pressure, but you’ve already won half the battle because everyone is there to see you. This is now gaining fans for future shows of our own.

TLC: I totally had a follow-up question and it just left me. It’s like halfway in my mind and I just can’t remember it.

AB: That’s my life.

TLC: The tour ends in a couple of weeks, so what do you have scheduled after that?

AB: I’m trying to finish up this record I’m making with this band called IRONTOM. The guitar player in our band, Zach Irons, is in that band as well and we bring these guys out on tour with us all the time, so we’re just trying to finish up that record before we go out again on tour and deal with these various spring festivals and then we’ll do a whole summer tour as well.

TLC: The summer tour, is that going to be headlining?

AB: Yupp.

TLC: Any weird preconcert rituals?

AB: We’ve been playing rummy every day, which I think is a grandma card game and we’re having a great time doing it. Also, try to listen to music that’s uplifting and inspiring for us as well. Just try and keep it pretty mellow, honestly because these stage shows, it’s very exuding. Isaac, our drummer, for example, it’s a physical, draining workout. For me, singing is very physical, when I’m running around, I sweat a lot. So it’s kind of a workout. It’s the only time I know of where you drink alcohol, go run around and sweat – it’s horrible.

TLC: Any dressing room must-haves before the show?

AB: Lately, fresh juice. There’s a juicer on this tour, so we’ve been hydrating while we drink. So if I’m going to have some tequila, which is what I’ve been into lately, I’m going to combo that with the freshest juices possible. It makes you not feel as messed up and you’re not as hungover. I haven’t been hungover this whole tour. I’m not advocating getting wasted like the typical rock-n-roll cliche stuff but we like to party a little bit and enjoy the music and celebrate.

TLC: Some people have asked me what the best way to dance to “Sail” is. Any advice?

AB: I mean, whichever way you like. I heard it’s a great stripper song. I don’t go to strip clubs. I haven’t gone since I was 18, and that was even strange for me. So many of my guy friends back in the day were like, “I swear she’s into me, man.” Sorry, that might be too much information for you guys.

TLC: No, it’s fine.

AB: I don’t know. The best way to dance to it I guess would be not try to be someone else. At these shows a lot of the time, we try to get everyone up and dancing as much as they can and I encourage everyone to just let their inner dancer come out and not try to emulate someone else.

TLC: Alright, what is your favorite type of Girl Scout cookie?

AB: That’s a tough one because obviously Thin Mint, is that the main one, that’s the main. But I would have to say it’s the coconut one.

TLC: Oh my gosh, the Samoas?

AB: Yupp, Samoas are the best. When I was in the fourth grade, I remember getting to order them. My mom allowed me to order one box and I ate the whole box the first day. I felt like an adult, I had my own box of cookies. The lemon ones are incredible too. The lemon ones are obviously to die for as well, but the Samoas. They made, for a limited time, someone made a Samoas ice cream flavor.

TLC: Yeah, we missed out on that. Final question, my dad had a question and it’s a total dad question. He wants to know how you’re protecting your ears during the show.

AB: My ears are actually very sensitive. I’m 80 percent deaf in my left ear. Ear plugs, I just wear ear plugs all the time. When I was younger, I would be like, “F*** it, I’m just going to feel the music.” But then you start to lose certain tones. Since it’s our career, we’re in it all night, I can’t go to a show without having ear plugs. And if I forget them, I go to the bar or wherever I can get tissue and put them in my ears.