A Rocket to the Moon is an American rock band. The band was founded during 2006 in Braintree, Massachusetts by Nick Santino, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Guitarist and backup vocalist Justin Richards (also of Brighten), bassist and backup vocalist Eric Halvorsen, and drummer Andrew Cook eventually joined Santino. Nick Santino started A Rocket to the Moon in the summer of 2006 as a musical experiment. He formerly fronted the local bands The Bad Year and The Midway Class.[1]
Santino assembled a band of musicians in early 2008 with the help of The Maine prior to A Rocket to the Moon's first major festival appearance, at The Bamboozle.[2] They then appeared on the July 10, 2008 episode of Total Request Live, performing the song "Dakota".[3] Contrary to popular belief, A Rocket to the Moon was never signed to Decaydence Records by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy. Wentz had shown interest in the band and wanted to do a Fueled By Ramen/Decaydence split but the Decaydence side of the deal never worked out.[4][5] An official announcement of the signing to Fueled by Ramen was made in August 2008.[6] Separate tours supporting both The Cab[7] and A Cursive Memory[8] followed in the fall of 2008. They also toured with Cute Is What We Aim For, Secondhand Serenade and Automatic Loveletter.[9] On October 14, 2008 the band released their EP Greetings From... (produced by Matt Grabe), featuring the singles "Dakota" and "If Only They Knew". The record reached #21 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.[10]
The band spent the first part of February and March 2009 in the studio with Matt Squire recording their debut full-length album.[11] They were the opening band on Alternative Press magazine's AP Tour 2009, with The Maine, Hit The Lights, Family Force 5 and 3OH!3 sponsored by Rockstar.[12] They played the May 3rd lineup of the 2009 Bamboozle festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey[13] and played select dates on the 2009 Vans Warped Tour [14] before touring with The Cab, Eye Alaska, The Summer Set and My Favorite Highway on the "What Happens in Vegas... Tour". While on Warped Tour, the band did many signings with the non-profit organization Music Saves Lives, where they met with fans who gained special access to the band by donating blood. Andrew Cook, formerly of prog-rock band The Receiving End of Sirens, was made a full-time member upon release of the band's full-length album, On Your Side' (released on October 12, 2009) .[15] In the fall of 2009, they supported Boys Like Girls along with VersaEmerge, The Maine, and Cobra Starship on BLGs' Love Drunk Tour presented by Op.
They played on the Take Action Tour presented by Hot Topic with Mayday Parade, There for Tomorrow, Stereo Skyline, and We the Kings in early 2010. In spring 2010, A Rocket to the Moon toured with Motion City Soundtrack, Sing it Loud, and Fun. They also opened for Hanson on select dates on Hanson's Shout It Out! tour. They were second on the bill next to All Time Low, Before You Exit and City (Comma) State on All Time Low's My Small Package Tour in October 2010.
In spring 2011 A Rocket to the Moon went on their first headlining tour, the On Your Side Tour, with Anarbor, Valencia, Runner Runner, and Go Radio. In May 2011, the band will tour the UK with Mayday Parade. They will also tour Australia and Indonesia with Hey Monday.
Santino assembled a band of musicians in early 2008 with the help of The Maine prior to A Rocket to the Moon's first major festival appearance, at The Bamboozle.[2] They then appeared on the July 10, 2008 episode of Total Request Live, performing the song "Dakota".[3] Contrary to popular belief, A Rocket to the Moon was never signed to Decaydence Records by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy. Wentz had shown interest in the band and wanted to do a Fueled By Ramen/Decaydence split but the Decaydence side of the deal never worked out.[4][5] An official announcement of the signing to Fueled by Ramen was made in August 2008.[6] Separate tours supporting both The Cab[7] and A Cursive Memory[8] followed in the fall of 2008. They also toured with Cute Is What We Aim For, Secondhand Serenade and Automatic Loveletter.[9] On October 14, 2008 the band released their EP Greetings From... (produced by Matt Grabe), featuring the singles "Dakota" and "If Only They Knew". The record reached #21 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.[10]
The band spent the first part of February and March 2009 in the studio with Matt Squire recording their debut full-length album.[11] They were the opening band on Alternative Press magazine's AP Tour 2009, with The Maine, Hit The Lights, Family Force 5 and 3OH!3 sponsored by Rockstar.[12] They played the May 3rd lineup of the 2009 Bamboozle festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey[13] and played select dates on the 2009 Vans Warped Tour [14] before touring with The Cab, Eye Alaska, The Summer Set and My Favorite Highway on the "What Happens in Vegas... Tour". While on Warped Tour, the band did many signings with the non-profit organization Music Saves Lives, where they met with fans who gained special access to the band by donating blood. Andrew Cook, formerly of prog-rock band The Receiving End of Sirens, was made a full-time member upon release of the band's full-length album, On Your Side' (released on October 12, 2009) .[15] In the fall of 2009, they supported Boys Like Girls along with VersaEmerge, The Maine, and Cobra Starship on BLGs' Love Drunk Tour presented by Op.
They played on the Take Action Tour presented by Hot Topic with Mayday Parade, There for Tomorrow, Stereo Skyline, and We the Kings in early 2010. In spring 2010, A Rocket to the Moon toured with Motion City Soundtrack, Sing it Loud, and Fun. They also opened for Hanson on select dates on Hanson's Shout It Out! tour. They were second on the bill next to All Time Low, Before You Exit and City (Comma) State on All Time Low's My Small Package Tour in October 2010.
In spring 2011 A Rocket to the Moon went on their first headlining tour, the On Your Side Tour, with Anarbor, Valencia, Runner Runner, and Go Radio. In May 2011, the band will tour the UK with Mayday Parade. They will also tour Australia and Indonesia with Hey Monday.
