10 Years Later: State Champs Announce the “Around The World And Back Again” Tour

Now, a decade after its release, the band is gearing up to celebrate the record that transformed their lives. Kicking off November 5 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and wrapping up December 6 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, the Around The World And Back Again Tour is an unapologetic love letter to an album that became the soundtrack to a generation of road trips, heartbreaks, and crowd surfs.

State Champs aren’t hitting the highway alone, either. They’ve assembled an eclectic, cross-generational powerhouse of a supporting bill featuring pop-punk stalwarts Cartel, breakout alt-rock powerhouse Taylor Acorn, and rotating support from buzzing indie-punk outfits Like Roses and Pinkshift.

Why Around the World and Back Remains a Pop-Punk Milestone

When State Champs unleashed Around the World and Back in 2015, the pressure was immense. Their 2013 debut, The Finer Things, had already established them as heirs to the fast-paced, melodic drive pioneered by bands like The Starting Line and New Found Glory. But their second record did something bolder: it polished the edges without dulling the bite.

Tracks like “Secrets” and “Losing Myself” delivered masterclasses in anthemic songcraft, featuring punchy rhythm sections, soaring vocal hooks, and dual-guitar riffs that stuck in your head for days. Meanwhile, the acoustic title track, featuring Ansley Newman of Jule Vera, showcased a vulnerable emotional depth that proved Derek DiScanio was more than just a loud set of vocal cords. The album debuted at number 30 on the Billboard 200 and firmly planted State Champs at the forefront of the scene alongside peers like The Story So Far and Neck Deep.

Revisiting this entire tracklist from front to back a full decade later is an electric prospect. For longtime listeners, these songs are tied to specific chapters of growing up. Hearing “All You Are Is History” belted out in a room packed shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of people who know every lyric isn’t just nostalgia—it’s communal catharsis.

The Lineup: Bridging Eras of Pop-Punk and Alt-Rock

What makes the Around The World And Back Again run special isn’t just the headliner; it’s how deliberately curated the entire evening feels from start to finish. Rather than sticking to a predictable package, State Champs pulled together artists representing distinct chapters of the scene.

Cartel: The 2000s Staples

For anyone who spent the mid-2000s glued to Fuse TV or spinning Chroma until the CD wore out, Cartel’s presence on this tour is massive. Frontman Will Pugh and the band helped define an era of clean, infectious melodies and timeless sing-alongs like “Honestly” and “Say Anything (Else).” Having them share the stage with State Champs underlines how much continuity exists in guitar-driven melodic rock.

Taylor Acorn: Modern Edge and Raw Honesty

Taylor Acorn has carved out her own fiercely independent lane over the last several years. Blending nineties-inspired alt-rock textures with raw 2000s emo sensibilities and country-tinged lyrical storytelling, Acorn has become one of the most exciting voices in modern rock. Tracks like “Shapeshifting” and “Psycho” hit with an intensity built specifically for live venues, making her set one of the most anticipated parts of the night.

Like Roses & Pinkshift: Fresh Fire

Opening duties are split between two of the most compelling underground forces around. California’s Like Roses will warm up the first half of the tour with their cathartic, emotionally driven indie-punk grit. Taking over the second half is Baltimore’s Pinkshift, whose explosive fusion of nineties grunge, punk rock, and post-hardcore makes them one of the most electrifying live bands on any stage today.

Tour Routing: 24 Cities Across North America

The month-long trek cuts a wide path across the country, stopping at iconic clubs and storied theaters:

• 11/05 – Allentown, PA @ Archer Music Hall
• 11/06 – Buffalo, NY @ Buffalo RiverWorks
• 11/07 – Indianapolis, IN @ Old National Centre
• 11/08 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
• 11/10 – Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
• 11/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
• 11/13 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
• 11/14 – Riverside, CA @ Riverside Municipal Auditorium
• 11/15 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
• 11/17 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
• 11/18 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
• 11/20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
• 11/21 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
• 11/23 – Davenport, IA @ Capitol Theatre
• 11/24 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
• 11/25 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
• 11/27 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
• 11/28 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
• 11/29 – Baltimore, MD @ Nevermore Hall
• 12/01 – Richmond, VA @ The National
• 12/03 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
• 12/04 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
• 12/05 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
• 12/06 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues

Every room on this list carries a unique reputation in touring folklore—from the historic walls of The Palladium in Worcester to the open-air intensity of Jannus Live in Florida. You can keep track of official tour updates directly on State Champs’ official band website and music news outlets like Alternative Press.

Commemorating an Era: Visuals, Aesthetic, and Tour Keepsakes

Album anniversary tours always feel different from standard album-cycle runs. They exist outside the routine album-promo circuit; they are victory laps celebrating endurance and community.

State Champs leaned heavily into this spirit with their vintage mid-century cartoon wolf mascot, framed by globe graphics that evoke the wanderlust spirit of Around the World and Back. For fans who have followed the band from tiny local basements to festival mainstages, owning a piece of that iconography is an essential ritual.

Displaying a commemorative State Champs Around The World And Back Again Tour 2026 poster canvas in your music room or home studio preserves those live memories long after the ring in your ears fades. Similarly, rocking an authentic State Champs 2026 tour two-sided print t-shirt with the vintage wolf artwork on the chest and the complete run of cross-country dates on the back is the quintessential concert uniform for the season.

What Fans Can Expect From the Setlist

While anniversary tours guarantee that the featured record gets center stage, State Champs rarely leave fans hanging without a few surprises:

1. The Full Record Experience: Hearing deep album cuts like “Breaking Ground,” “Shape Up,” and “Tooth and Nail”—songs that rarely surface on everyday tour rotations—will be a major highlight for hardcore fans.
2. The Acoustic Moment: The acoustic performance of “Around the World and Back” will undoubtedly serve as the emotional centerpiece of the evening, bringing lighters and phone screens into the air.
3. The Essential Encores: Don’t expect the band to leave without dropping a few career-defining staples like “Elevated,” “Everybody But You,” and “Outta My Head.”

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