Animals Unleashed - Black Squirrel Entertainment
Black Squirrel Entertainment

Animals Unleashed

Indie fans may now rejoice! The Social Animals just began their first big headlining tour this past Saturday in Indianapolis. If the name rings a bell, you may recall this band as the opening act for this past summer’s Dashboard Confessional tour featuring The All-American Rejects and The Maine.

The band made a notable debut onto the music scene in 2016 with their EP titled “Formative Years.” This EP uniquely combines rock, folk, and punk genres to create an unforgettable sound. Their single, “Cold” is a fan favorite and was first written and performed by them in 2012.

Dedric Clark (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Tony Petersen (Banjo/Guitar), Boyd Smith (Percussion), and Roger Whittet (Bass) all started out as a young group of guys from Minnesota. Clark met Petersen when they were in high school when he discovered that his guitar abilities soared beyond those of their peers. The two played together in college, then met Smith from a mutual friend. During a trip to the bar, Clark met Whittet who was playing bass to a small crowd and thus The Social Animals became uncaged! (Sorry for the pun!) The boys all packed up and headed to Portland and started to do small tours on their own around the area and slowly started to gain local attention.

If you like Andrew Mcmahon in the Wilderness mixed with a little banjo and some great hair (including beards), you will love The Social Animals. Their personalities stand out as more unique than their sound. Dedric Clark is a funny, down-to-Earth smart ass whom I had the pleasure of interviewing.

In relation to their upcoming tour, Clark said, “We’re looking forward to hitting some of the spots we played on the Dashboard/Rejects tour!”

One of many struggles of being a headlining band is the question, “Who should open for us?” To that, Clark only has one requirement. “Someone who won’t drink all the beer.”

The Social Animals will be accompanied by Portland natives, Mimicking Birds. This trio is reminiscent of alternative groups like The National and St. Vincent.

The tour will be hitting several major cities through November and is more than worth it! If you get the chance to meet one of the guys, take the chance! They are talented, wild and always ready to joke. If you cannot make it to the fall tour, fear not. The Social Animals are here to stay and are in the process of making new music. Stay tuned!