I'm embarrassed to say that I first found out about Hellogoodbye while watching MTV's The Real World: Austin. The Huntington Beach, Calif., foursome happened to be one of several bands that the Real World cast had to interview and film for a documentary about the South by Southwest festival. At some point, while the MTV crew was shooting footage at Hellogoodbye's campsite, frontman Forrest Kline played a banjo and sang "Oh, It Is Love" with such adorable earnestness that I was immediately won over. The moment may not have been impromptu — it was on MTV, after all — but it was definitely heartfelt. Though they've gained some mainstream recognition and plenty of press following their Real World appearance, Hellogoodbye has continued to plough ahead with do-it-yourself-enthusiasm, taking matters ranging from recordings and album artwork to posters and merchandise designs into their own hands despite signing with Drive-Thru Records in '04. The band headlines a show at Jannus Landing this Sunday; David Melillo, Cute is What We Aim For, and Reggie and The Full Effect are also scheduled to perform. Sun., Nov. 12, 7 p.m., 16 Second St. N., St. Petersburg, $15, 727-895-3045, www.jannuslandingconcerts.net.
This article appears in Nov 8-14, 2006.
