Vinyl Theatre

Although formed in 2012 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Vinyl Theatre's nostalgic mix of dance-rock and synthesized pop had more in common with 1980s hit-makers than modern-day groups, which earned the band a record deal with Fueled By Ramen during the 2010s. Vinyl Theatre's two co-founders, singer/guitarist Keegan Calmes and keyboardist Chris Senner, first met at a cross-country race in high school. Later, while attending different colleges, they exchanged song ideas via email and began making their own recordings, eventually completing the band's lineup with the addition of drummer Nick Cesarz and bassist Josh Pothier. "Breaking Up My Bones," the group's homemade debut single, became a viral hit in 2014, resulting in a contract with the record label Fueled By Ramen and a spot on Billboard's Twitter Real-Time chart (where the song peaked at Number 46). Vinyl Theatre's debut album, Electrogram, was released later that year, supported by a nationwide tour opening for Twenty One Pilots. Although health concerns resulted in Pothier's exit from the band in 2016, Vinyl Theatre forged ahead as a three-piece lineup with 2017's Origami, which marked the group's last album with Fueled By Ramen. An independently-released third album, Starcruiser, followed in 2018. Keegan Calmes quit the band in May 2019, however, leaving Vinyl Theatre without a frontman and effectively bringing the group's career to a close.