Brand New/Manchester Orchestra

Few bands under the ever-widening umbrella of contemporary emo have made stranger decisions than Long Island unit Brand New. From its roots as a no-frills pop-punk act in the early '00s to its current noise-rock incarnation (as heard on latest album Daisy), the band consistently goes against the grain. You can count the number of times frontman Jesse Lacey has granted interviews with U.S. publications over the past three years on one hand, and the group hasn't done a support tour in that same time period, opting instead to repeatedly tour with their friends — some which are fantastic bands (such as Manchester Orchestra and Thrice). But no matter what the support lineup is, seeing Brand New live is always on par with the best sex you've ever had: It's loud, sweaty and downright euphoric.