We crammed the van full of boxes, coffee, and a questionable amount of gas station snacks, then hit the road to Pittsburgh for the Four Chord Music Festival. At some point someone swore they saw a raccoon riding shotgun in a passing truck, and honestly, by hour six of the drive, we weren’t even surprised. That’s how road trips to festivals go: a mix of exhaustion, inside jokes, and the kind of chaos you can’t plan for.
Four Chord has always been about pop punk, emo, and alternative music, and this year’s lineup was unreal. blink-182, AFI, Jimmy Eat World, Jawbreaker, Hot Mulligan, Bowling for Soup—basically a playlist of every band we ever had burned onto a scratched CD in the early 2000s. Just reading the flyer felt like a time machine.
When we finally got to the football field where the fest happens, it was madness. Vans unloading, gear everywhere, vendors yelling for duct tape. We set up our booth in the middle of it all, banners flying, socks stacked, and the exclusive American Socks x Four Chord collab front and center. Before long, people were streaming in. Some made a beeline for the collab pair, others just wandered up curious about why socks were getting so much attention at a punk festival in Pittsburgh. But that’s the thing—our socks have always been part of the lifestyle, and seeing people leave with them (grinning and holding them up like trophies) felt right.
The scene around us was just as fun. Dixon Flannel and Borndead were close by, so between waves of people we hung out, cracked jokes, and shared snacks like it was a family reunion. Someone even tried to trade a hot dog for a pair of socks. Not gonna lie, we thought about it.
And of course, we couldn’t just stay stuck at the booth. AFI had everyone swaying in darker vibes, Jimmy Eat World turned the entire field into one giant singalong, and when blink-182 closed the night, it was pure chaos. Fireworks exploding, strangers screaming “All The Small Things” into each other’s faces, one guy crowd-surfing with a pizza box. No idea how he pulled that off.
Back at our booth, we kept things wacky with giveaways. Our “hide and sock” game had people hunting around EQT Park like it was punk rock Pokémon Go. Toss a pair into the crowd, hide one near the bleachers, suddenly there’s a swarm of fans laughing, snapping selfies, and walking away with free socks. It made our little corner of the festival feel like its own side show.
By the end of it all, we were wiped out, voices hoarse, ears still ringing. Packing up felt like playing Tetris with boxes and leftover snacks, but we managed. The van ride back was a blur of bad singing, festival stories, and brainstorming where to take the American Socks tour next.
Four Chord Festival reminded us why this scene matters. Music, chaos, community, and yeah—punk rock socks right in the middle of it. We left tired but stoked, and ready for whatever comes next. Thanks 4 Chord, that was a truly amazing experience!
And now a photo dump with people that took a pic at the stand.
