Bear Hands

Bear Hands, an American post-punk and indie rock band, was formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2006. The band consists of Dylan Rau on vocals and guitar, Val Loper on bass, and TJ Orscher on drums. The initial lineup also included Ted Feldman on guitar. Dylan Rau and Ted Feldman first met while attending Wesleyan University. Loper and Orscher joined through their previous band, ‘In Pieces,’ which was active in the Connecticut ska and hardcore punk scene. The members found a cohesive dynamic, as Orscher noted in a 2010 SXSW interview, describing how everything ‘clicked’ when they first played together after working on previous projects. Their early work included the release of their first EP, ‘Golden,’ which quickly garnered them attention as a ‘New York buzz band’ due to popular blog features. In 2010, Bear Hands signed with Cantora Records, coinciding with the release of their single “What a Drag.”

Following their signing, Bear Hands released their debut LP, ‘Burning Bush Supper Club,’ in 2010. This period saw them touring extensively as a supporting act for notable artists such as Passion Pit, GZA, and We Were Promised Jetpacks, which helped expand their audience. A significant milestone occurred in mid-2014 when their single “Giants” achieved a top-ten position on the Alternative Songs chart. The band also made several prominent live appearances, including a live session at KEXP on April 1, 2014, and an appearance on the late-night talk show ‘Conan’ on October 27, 2014. Throughout their career, Bear Hands has played at major music festivals, performing at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2009, and later at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and the Lowlands Festival in 2014.

Continuing their career progression, Bear Hands toured with Twenty One Pilots as the opening act for the Bandito Tour from May 12 to June 30, 2019. Their discography includes several studio albums, such as ‘Distraction’ (2014), ‘You’ll Pay for This’ (2016), ‘Fake Tunes’ (2019), and ‘The Key to What’ (2024). In 2019, they released the single “Blue Lips.” A notable development in 2024 was their re-signing with Cantora Records, now relaunched under the umbrella of Rostrum Records, marking a new phase for their musical endeavors. Their consistent release schedule and festival appearances demonstrate their ongoing commitment to recording and performing music.