By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – NEW ORLEANS, The landscape of modern punk is often defined by its volatility and speed, but few acts have moved with the sheer velocity of Twisted Teens. The New Orleans-based duo, comprised of Caspian Halliwell and RJ Santos, has officially reached a new milestone in their rapid ascent by signing with the legendary Seattle-based label Sub Pop Records. This partnership marks a significant turning point for the outfit, placing them in the hallowed company of artists who have defined alternative music for decades. The announcement comes at a time when the band’s productivity is reaching a fever pitch, coinciding with an expansion of their already grueling international tour schedule and a strategic redistribution of their most recent recorded output.
The deal with Sub Pop is specifically structured to amplify the band’s reach beyond North American borders. While the indie stalwart Going Underground Records continues to maintain its hold on the domestic distribution of the band’s latest full-length effort, Florida Water Blues, Sub Pop has assumed the responsibility for the album’s international release. This dual-label approach ensures that Twisted Teens’ signature brand of swampy, high-octane punk can be efficiently funneled to global audiences while maintaining their roots with the independent infrastructure that helped launch their career. For a band that only released its self-titled debut in 2024, the leap to a label with the prestige of Sub Pop—the original home of Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney—is a testament to the undeniable magnetism of Halliwell and Santos’ creative chemistry.
The duo’s work ethic has been nothing short of relentless. Since emerging from the vibrant, if often overlooked, punk underground of New Orleans, Twisted Teens have maintained a release cycle that would exhaust most contemporary groups. Following their 2024 debut, the band kicked off 2026 with the critically acclaimed Blame the Clown in January. That record served as a catalyst for their current momentum, earning them a spot on several mid-year "best of" lists, including high honors from Pitchfork, which categorized the album as some of the most essential music of 2026 so far. The quick succession of Blame the Clown and the subsequent Florida Water Blues suggests a band in the middle of a prolific purple patch, capturing the frantic energy of their live performances and distilling it into raw, unfiltered studio recordings.
Florida Water Blues, the album now being championed globally by Sub Pop, represents an evolution of the sound established in their earlier work. While their self-titled debut was a masterclass in lo-fi aggression, and Blame the Clown experimented with more complex rhythmic structures and darker lyrical themes, the new record feels like a definitive statement of intent. It balances the grime of the Gulf Coast with a polished, albeit jagged, edge that makes it accessible to a wider alternative rock audience without sacrificing the punk pedigree that Halliwell and Santos have carefully cultivated.
To support this surge in recorded material, Twisted Teens have been living on the road, and their itinerary is only growing. The band recently announced the addition of several key U.S. dates to a schedule that was already described by industry insiders as "enormous." Specifically, the duo will be making high-profile appearances in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the first week of September. These shows are expected to be pivotal, serving as a bridge between their support slots for established icons and their own headlining ventures.
The tour schedule itself is a fascinating map of the band’s current standing in the industry. It begins with a series of high-stakes opening slots for The Breeders, the alternative rock legends led by Kim Deal. These dates, including stops at the Hollywood Palladium and The Sound in Del Mar, place Twisted Teens in front of a sophisticated audience of indie-rock enthusiasts, many of whom are likely to appreciate the duo’s blend of melody and dissonance. From there, the band transitions into a series of intimate club dates across the Pacific Northwest and California, hitting legendary venues like Baba Yaga in Seattle and Thee Stork Club in Oakland. This "boots on the ground" approach to touring—alternating between massive theaters and sweaty, packed clubs—is a hallmark of the band’s strategy to build a loyal, grassroots following.
As the autumn months approach, the band will pivot to a major supporting role for Kurt Vile and the Violators. This extensive run, which begins in early November at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, will take the band through the American Midwest and South, eventually leading them back to their hometown of New Orleans for a triumphant show at the Joy Theatre on November 18. The pairing with Kurt Vile might seem unexpected at first glance—Vile’s laid-back, psychedelic folk-rock is a far cry from the jagged punk of Twisted Teens—but it speaks to the band’s versatility and the broad appeal of their songwriting. It is a tour designed to test their endurance and their ability to win over audiences who may not be naturally inclined toward the high-intensity energy of a New Orleans punk show.
Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of their newly announced plans is the December run through Australia. For many emerging American bands, an Australian tour is a logistical hurdle that is often deferred until much later in their career. However, Twisted Teens are striking while the iron is hot. Their December schedule includes a coveted spot at the Meredith Music Festival in Victoria, an event known for its discerning lineup and dedicated fan base. This, along with club dates in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, marks their first major foray into the Southern Hemisphere, a move undoubtedly bolstered by Sub Pop’s international distribution network.
The rise of Twisted Teens is also a story about the enduring relevance of the New Orleans music scene. While the city is world-renowned for its jazz, brass, and bounce traditions, its punk and hardcore history is equally rich, if more obscured. Halliwell and Santos represent a new generation of NOLA musicians who are drawing from the city’s inherent humidity and decay to create something that feels distinctly regional yet globally resonant. There is a "swampiness" to their guitar tones and a desperate, humid urgency to their vocals that could only come from the Crescent City.
As 2026 progresses, the industry will be watching closely to see how the Sub Pop partnership influences the band’s trajectory. With three major releases under their belt in just over two years and a touring schedule that spans three continents, the primary challenge for Twisted Teens will be sustainability. However, if their recent output is any indication, Halliwell and Santos possess an inexhaustible well of creative energy. The addition of the Los Angeles and San Francisco dates, along with the Australian expansion, suggests a band that is not merely riding a wave of hype, but actively building a global infrastructure for their art.
Fans looking to catch the band during this pivotal year will have no shortage of opportunities, though tickets for the intimate club dates are expected to vanish quickly given the momentum surrounding Florida Water Blues. From the DIY spaces of the Pacific Northwest to the prestigious stages of the Meredith Music Festival, Twisted Teens are currently on a path that suggests they are no longer just "ones to watch," but are instead becoming a defining force in the contemporary punk landscape.
The full updated itinerary for Twisted Teens is as follows:
08-24 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
08-25 Del Mar, CA – The Sound
08-26 Santa Cruz, CA – The Crepe Place
08-28 Portland, OR – Polaris
08-29 Vancouver, BC – The Biltmore
08-30 Seattle, WA – Baba Yaga
08-31 Olympia, WA – The Mortuary
09-02 Oakland, CA – Thee Stork Club
09-03 San Francisco, CA – Make Out Room
09-04 Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
11-03 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
11-04 Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall ^
11-05 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall ^
11-06 Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall ^
11-07 St. Louis, MO – The Sovereign ^
11-08 Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall ^
11-10 Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s ^
11-11 Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall ^
11-12 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room ^
11-13 Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s ^
11-14 Denver, CO – Summit ^
11-16 Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge ^
11-17 Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall ^
11-18 New Orleans, LA – Joy Theatre ^
11-20 Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club ^
11-21 Charleston, SC – The Music Farm ^
11-22 Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre ^
11-23 Richmond, VA – The National ^
11-24 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar ^
12-11 Melbourne, Australia – Howler
12-12 Meredith, Victoria, Australia – Meredith Music Festival
12-15 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia – Crowbar
12-16 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia – Oxford Art Factory
- supporting The Breeders
^ supporting Kurt Vile and the Violators
