Straight outa Rikers. Straight outa Cook County, straight outa that prison in Louisiana that everyone says is horrible, but I can’t be bothered to Google, it’s MASKED INTRUDER, four melodious felons in ski masks with rap sheets, matching converse and some of the catchiest tunes this side of Johnny Cash, Live in Folsom Prison, and they’re coming at you with their second full length, the semi eponymously titled M.I., scheduled to break out on Fat Wreck Chords on May 27, 2014.
Some say they hail from Wisconsin, some say their accents on stage betray a New Jersey heritage and some people think they’re just Chixdiggit in disguise, but one thing’s for sure, Blue and the gang have been crafting some of the sweetest pop-punk gems about breaking and entering, stalking, and muggings that you’ve ever heard. Not many grown men in ski masks can claim to be the very favorite band of Fat Mike’s daughter, for example (not many men in ski masks should be around children at all) but that’s what makes Masked Intruder so special. They’re more than a gimmick. They’ve got chops. They’re weird, kinda arty, fairly goofy, vaguely dumb, relentlessly smart and they appeal to pretty much everyone, from their fellow hardened criminals to little girls and everyone in between.
Now, they’re back on the lam in support of M.I., featuring thirteen tracks of broken hearts, broken promises and breaking and entering. Recorded by Matt Alison at Atlas Studios in Chicago (Alkaline Trio, Lawrence Arms, Menzingers), M.I. boasts the Intruders at their toe tapping, jewelry stealing best. I mean, if there’s a better title for a love song than Don’t Run Away, I sure as hell haven’t heard it.
In support of M.I., and in order to stay a step ahead of their parole officers, the Intruder duders are hitting the road nonstop, traversing the globe, from Europe to Australia to the US of A, with bands like the Dwarves, Face To Face and more, bringing their heart-stealing songs to the people, all while merch dude, stage security and exquisitely mustached lawman Officer Bradford makes sure that hearts are the only things Masked Intruder steals. Officer Bradford may not wear a smile during a Masked Intruder show, but everyone else in the house sure is, and you can bet your ass that whether live or on record, the boys in Masked Intruder are sure to have you singing along and looking for your wallet. Oh, that prison in Louisiana is called Angola. Score one for memory. Take that, Google

Brendan Kelly is the bassist/vocalist of Chicago-based punk band The Lawrence Arms, as well as guitarist/lead vocalist in The Falcon and Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds. Kelly’s former bands include Slapstick and The Broadways. He is known for his raspy vocals, drunken demeanor, and onstage witticisms.

Following the release of their self-titled debut in 2004 under their own imprint Punch-It Records Chicago’s Counterpunch began their journey into both the US and international markets. Touring both domestically and abroad brought them opportunities to play along side Rise Against, Strung Out, and Pennywise amongst other stalwarts in the genre. 
 2011 saw the band release their second LP, titled ‘An Idiot’s Guide to Being an Asshole’ with Go Kart Records. Multiple European tours and festival stops later, the band was ready to step into the studio with Matt Allison to record 2014’s ‘Bruises’. Released in 2014 by Cyber Tracks Records, this release saw the bands most extensive touring regimen to date. Hitting the road alongside the likes of Face to Face, Strung Out, NOFX, The Living End, Good Riddance and more brought them in front of their largest audiences to date. 
 In 2019, the band stepped into Black in Bluhm studios in Denver to record their 4th LP just before COVID shut down the world. In light of facing a new normal the band hit the pause button on releasing their latest full length effort, deciding instead to put out a 7″ record with a few of the B Sides from the Black in Bluhm sessions. Teaming up with Thousand Island Records and SBAM Records to bring the world a snapshot of the new era of Counterpunch. 
 Their newest LP ‘Rewire’ was released in June 2022 both from Thousand Islands Records and SBAM once again.

We mix a bunch of things. Punk-Hardcore-Reggae-Ska.