I've been a rabid New Found Glory fan for a long time. Back in 2007, when I saw them live at the PlayStation Theater in NYC, I did not think that I would be back there again, more than a decade later, watching from the "friends and family" section.
Ian Grushka, NFG bassist, is a big RSVLTS guy and one of our more loyal fans. Over the years, we've connected through our shirts and a shared passion for baseball and memorabilia. He's taken RSVLTS on tour, wearing our apparel at nearly every show they play, around the world. For me, it's been a dream.
And now, with their new Christmas Special set to drop, I wanted to look back at some of my favorite moments connecting RSVLTS with my favorite band.
There was the first time we saw him wearing RSVLTS...
...and the epic reactions from RSVLTS Insiders.
And, of course, all the guitar picks he's sent us.
Then, Ian turned into an honorary RSVLTS Creative Director.
In 2018, Ian came to us with a unique idea of turning a table cloth at a burrito shop near where they record into a RSVLTS design. Apparently, all their best ideas were hatched around this table, so it had a special meaning for both him and the band. The idea seemed a little off-the-wall, but when he showed us a photo of the pattern, we knew he was on to something.
So, we ran with the idea.
Our designers turned the table cloth into a pattern and "El Mantel," Ian's signature shirt (with his actual signature on it), was born.
Fast forward to July, 2019.
"El Mantel" was unleashed upon the world and became an instant classic.
And the original El Mantel still gets a shout out from time to time.
Fast forward again, to 2020.
There haven't been any concerts in a while, but the guys have done everything they can to evolve with live streams, drive-in shows, acoustic sets from their homes, and more.
And speaking of live events...
New Found Glory is hosting a holiday special on 12/18 with new songs, skits, interviews, and—you guessed it—bundles of RSVLTS holiday shirts in every scene!
The show is airing at 6 PM EST, this Friday, and we'd love everyone to tune in!
Grab your tickets here: homefortheholidays.newfoundglory.com
So here's to New Found Glory and our buddy Ian!
