RODERIK - CRAZY TOUR STORIES

In this Crazy Tour Stories segment, the emo/hardcore/pop punk band, RODERIK, shares one of their stories from being on the road. You can check out the story below:

We want to preface this story by saying everything turned out okay, but we still wouldn’t recommend handling it the way we did. Hindsight is 20/20, and this definitely isn't a blueprint. Still, it’s a story we’ll never forget.

This tour was in support of our first EP, Intrusive Thoughts. Just a quick four-day run: Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Columbus, and Cleveland. Just enough to feel the road, see some familiar faces, and bring the new songs to life.

Two days in, things were going as expected for an unsigned, independent band. Pittsburgh and Indianapolis were solid, fun crowds, venues we’d played before, and the kind of nights that make all the long drives worth it. It was classic DIY touring: unglamorous, gritty, but full of heart.

The morning after Indianapolis, we loaded the van, grabbed gas, and started heading out for food before the next leg to Columbus. As we pulled onto the highway, we realized we’d missed the turn and needed to double back. A large truck was blocking the oncoming lanes as it attempted a wide U-turn, so our view was completely obstructed. We inched forward, trying to see past it, then suddenly, a vehicle came flying toward us.

We were hit hard. T-boned out of nowhere.

The impact was violent. One moment we were talking about breakfast, and the next we were frozen in place, surrounded by shattered glass, smoke, and silence. It was surreal. The EMTs arrived quickly and checked us out. Miraculously, none of us were seriously injured. Just bruises, shaken nerves, and a reality check we didn’t see coming. We followed up at the hospital once we got home, just to be sure.

But here’s the part we still shake our heads at. We didn’t go home. We probably should have. Instead, we found a way to keep moving and made it to Columbus that night.

And somehow, that show ended up being the best one of the tour.

Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was the overwhelming gratitude to still be able to stand on that stage. But we played like we’d never played before, louder, harder, with more urgency and heart than we knew we had in us. Every second felt like a second chance.

That night didn’t just save the tour, it redefined it. That experience bonded us in a way we never expected. We laughed harder afterward. We trusted each other more. We walked away not just as a tighter band, but as people who had been through something real together.

It could’ve been the end. Instead, it became the moment that brought us closer than ever.

Keep up with RODERIK on Instagram and TikTok.

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