Sometimes, when you see a band, you can immediately tell they’ve played together for a while. Their musicianship is tight, and stage presence radiates confidence. Despite being made up of four musicians in their late teens and early 20s, American Vanity displays all the signs of a seasoned band that captivates the crowd.

If you’re not familiar with American Vanity, the band is based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Until January, they spent the last six years performing as Burn the Jukebox. The band consists of Virginia Franks (lead vocals/bass), Luke Hoffman (lead vocals/guitar), Luke Vanchure (lead guitar), and Carter Dennis (drums). Over the past decade, they’ve built an online fan base with covers ranging from classic rock to pop punk, alt rock, and more. On January 1st, 2026, the band announced a name change and a new album set to be released later this year.

Their current tour brought them to the Stache in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on March 28th with support from Kalamazoo’s Wavy Awakening.

It was an interesting evening at The Intersection, where the Stache is one of three stages. Steel Panther performed on the main stage, while a DJ set played at Elevation. Meanwhile, American Vanity took the front stage. From the start, they made it clear that they were going to put on a kick ass show – and they did.

The band skillfully moved through a setlist of covers and originals, leaning more on covers as they await the release of their debut album, 17, this summer. They played songs by Fleetwood Mac, Green Day, Pearl Jam, and more. They also performed their two recent singles, “Lifeline” and “Poison In Your Cup,” along with an unreleased track from their debut album.

The band showed their range of influences and they skillfully wound their way through covers like “The Chains” by Fleetwood Mac, “She” by Green Day, and “Evenflow” by Pearl Jam. The also performed several of their original tracks, including “Lifeline,” “Poison In Your Cup,” and an (as of this article) unreleased song from their debut album.

“Lifeline” is a song about the fallout of a relationship. It recalls early 2000s alt-rock, with a haunting clean guitar arpeggio that gives way to powerful electric guitar, bass, and drums. Toward the end of the track, the guitar and bass drop out, leaving vocals backed by driving drums before the rest of the band returns in full force. “Poison in Your Cup” begins with a melancholic (and dark) riff that sets the verse’s melody. The song builds to an anthemic chorus that makes you want to sing along. It gives a similar feeling to Yellowcard’s chorus in Ocean Avenue. This song is also important for the band’s message. In our interview, the band described it as “anti-establishment” and said it “…shows the struggle women have.” The powerful chorus below shows how the band is finding its voice and sharing the message behind their name change.

The curtain falls

We tear down walls

Finally woke up when

You heard my call

The truth unveiled

They have failed

To cover up

The poison in your cup

American Vanity’s set was incredible from top to bottom. During the set, I talked with one of the members of the opening act, Wavy Awakening. We were excitedly discussing how awesome the set was and how talented the band is. It was clear from watching those in attendance that we were not the only ones who held this belief. Even in the days since, I’ve come across people online talking about how much they enjoyed the show and how excited they are for the new album.

You can catch American Vanity on tour throughout the Spring. The band is gearing up for a big summer schedule as they promote their new album, 17, which drops on July 17, 2026. For more about the band, visit https://www.thisisamericanvanity.com or follow them on social media @thisisamericanvanity. You can also read the transcript of my interview with the band here.

View the music videos for “Lifeline” and “Poison In Your Cup” below.

Photos – Wavy Awakening