Millington w/ Take Steps

Doors: 6:30pm
Show: 7:30pm
Ages: 21+
Tickets: $25 advance / $30 day of show

Founded in 2018 by Cody Okonski, Millington began as a recording project with the mission of bringing a modern sheen to a genre (ska/rock with horns/horn-fueled pop-punk) that was largely left behind by big-budget labels. After the success of early releases such as Cold In The City and University, Millington put together a live band. After a handful of shows, the pandemic hit.

While live performances were halted, the band continued producing new music. In 2020, they released the EP Beatdown Generation and a cover album titled Brass Emo Vol. 1.

As live shows returned, the band made its comeback at NYC’s Governors Ball festival in 2022 and has hit the ground running ever since. With its signature, self-proclaimed “Brass Emo” sound, the six-member band, complete with a horn section, brings high-energy performances to its recordings and live shows.

Website: www.millingtontheband.com

Albany’s Take Steps move with intention. Formed in 2024, the band draws from a wide range of influences while staying grounded in the emotional core of melodic hardcore. Guitarist John Lombardi says the project began with a clear spark: “I put together some instrumental demos inspired by [Comeback Kid’s] Wake the Dead and [Have Heart’s] The Things We Carry [albums], and asked Kyle to come over and collaborate,” he tells No Echo. From there, things came together quickly, with a lineup built from longtime friendships and past collaborations across the local scene.

That foundation carries into a sound that doesn’t sit neatly in one lane. “Sonically, Take Steps modulates between melodic hardcore, pop-punk, and crossover thrash,” Lombardi explains. The reference points range from Have Heart and Comeback Kid to Title Fight, Power Trip, and even blink-182. The result balances urgency with melody, drawing from both hardcore grit and more introspective songwriting.

Website: www.takesteps.bandcamp.com