Mills Hardware Presents
THE PENSKE FILE
with guests GREAT MISTAKES AND OKAYSWIMMER
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The Penske File is a Canadian punk rock band comprised of three childhood friends who may be better described as brothers than anything else. Travis Miles (guitar, vocals), Alexander Standen (drums, vocals) and James Hall (bass, vocals) began making music together 20 years ago, when they were only 12 and 13 years old. The Penske File began in earnest a handful of years later at a memorial show following the tragic passing of their best friend and former second guitarist, Chris Skinner, “whose spirit and memory remains the driveshaft of inspiration of the band to this day,” according to Miles. Since their inception in 2010, they have been turning out an ever evolving blend of heartfelt and anthemic Punk, Alt- Rock, Indie and Folk infused sounds. This evolution is starkly apparent on their latest effort, aptly titled Reprieve (out Oct 3, 2025 on Stomp Records), which features 12 brand new songs, expanding on the sonic and thematic realms the band has touched upon in their lifespan and bringing them to new heights. “The writing and recording of Reprieve was unique to our previous records in many ways,” says Miles, “For one, there was over a five-year gap since we wrote the songs for our last record, Half Glow. We were really chomping at the bit to get back at it and there were so many songs and ideas waiting in the wings to be explored. With so much raw material to work with, and even more excitement to be doing so, we made a conscious effort to branch out; to arrange songs that are reminiscent of what turned us on to punk rock in the first place, but also to craft others that are so far removed from that sonic landscape. We opened the doors to whatever came creatively and Reprieve is what walked in.” Their live shows are celebrations: celebrations of everything loud, spontaneous and beautiful about life. No strangers to the road, The Penske File spent the better part of their 20s on tour, and have continued that tradition into their early 30s, playing festival stages and D.I.Y spaces alike from Vancouver to Hamburg to Gainesville and everywhere in between. They have been hand selected to perform with many of punk rock’s greatest acts, and have shared bills with the likes of Bad Religion, The Menzingers, Streetlight Manifesto and The Hold Steady, to name a few. While they may be getting older, they are committed to dragging the spirit of youth along with them and that is apparent in their raucous, communal live shows as well as on their blistering, honest, reminiscent and introspective, new record.
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Formed in 2024, Hamilton's Great Mistakes is a made up of longtime friends who reconnected after decades apart. The members share a rich musical history, having played in some of the region's most celebrated underground punk and hardcore bands, including The Saint Alvia Cartel, The Artist Life, Grade, The Reason, The Spicolis, The Video Dead, Jersey, Catapult, and Always Outnumbered. Great Mistakes blends melodic rock with the raw energy of punk, creating a powerful and emotionally charged sound. Fans of bands like Hot Water Music, The Dirty Nil, Gaslight Anthem, and Rival Schools will appreciate the band's anthemic choruses, gritty guitars, and heartfelt lyrics resulting in a familiar yet fresh sound. The band's No Dead Weight EP is now streaming.
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okayswimmer is a musical soup that consists of not only an eclectic mix of hearty ingredients, but also a very light and almost sweet broth. Goes well with The Penske File, Banned Together, Friar Tuck, Dog Cops, Rx Bandits, The Dirty Nil, Wine Lips, Daniel Romano, and crackers.
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