PUBLIC 655

John Vaughn (lead vocals/guitar) and Ben Lapps (drums) started writing songs in a basement as a duo before being joined by Matthew Alvarado (bass) to form their current lineup, PUBLIC. Using their roots in classic rock and indie-pop, the band released their first EP, Red, in 2012, solidifying a strong fan base in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. Quickly after, the band found themselves on the road supporting acts such as Walk the Moon, Twenty One Pilots, Young the Giant, as well as participating in major festivals like Forecastle, Bunbury, CMJ, and SXSW, giving them exposure to a variety of crowds and fan bases.

PUBLIC announced the release of their second EP, Let’s Make It in October of 2014, also embarking on their first national tour (Shut Up and Tour) supporting Walk the Moon. The band later re-released Let’s Make It in March of 2015, renaming it Let’s Remake It, featuring two new bonus tracks “Honeybee” and “Listen!.” The band was later invited to work with producer Eric Palmquist in Los Angeles, CA. With their new touring experience, as well as the creative atmosphere of a new environment, the band embraced the influences of alternative and pop sounds to craft their 2015 single, “Heartbeating”. Released while on a national tour with Oh Honey, the single received nods from reputable blogs like Kings of A&R and Good Music All Day (“‘Heartbeating’ presents PUBLIC as a rising rock band with a contagious indie style”).

In 2017, PUBLIC was announced as an opener on Twenty One Pilots' Tour De Columbus, for the show in the Nationwide Arena, located in Columbus, Ohio. The day before their biggest show to date, they released their third EP, Sweet Lemonade on June 23rd, 2017. The EP contains fan-favorite single “4Her” along with some heavy-hitting tracks like “Sugarcane” and “On My Mind.” PUBLIC went on their first-ever headlining U.S. tour, the Sweet Lemonade Tour in the summer of 2017, following their show with Twenty One Pilots. The tour invited new and old fans alike to experience their shows in intimate venues.

On July 20th, 2018, PUBLIC released their single “One That I Want”, and a vertical video for the song the following day. A month later, the trio announced that they had filmed their first ever official music video for the song with Loose Films, an award-winning film production house based in Columbus, Ohio. Their music video had been premiered by MTV in October of 2018. On December 25th, 2018, PUBLIC released their acoustic version of “One That I Want” exclusively on Soundcloud, later releasing it on major streaming platforms.

At the start of 2019, PUBLIC immediately began teasing their new single “Honest” via Instagram and Twitter through a series of cryptic photos and videos. They later revealed the single’s title and cover art, and officially released it on March 8th, 2019. In February of 2019, PUBLIC were announced as one of the openers for The Driver Era on The Driver Era Tour, supporting the duo on most of their East Coast and Midwestern dates.

PUBLIC looks to make a big impact with their upcoming releases in the future. Their music encompasses and communicates meaningful messages, honest experiences, and a desire to connect.