The 502s

Influenced by bands such as The Head and the Heart and Bear's Den,[1] Ed Isola began writing songs in college with a $100 banjo and a guitar he borrowed from his roommate. After graduating and returning home, Ed recruited his cousins Jonathan Ruiz on guitar and vocals and Jacob Isola on bass.[9] Shortly after the band's inception in 2015, The 502s won a contest to perform at Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, alongside Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and Kendrick Lamar, beating out over 800 contest entrants. Their performance at Okeechobee took place before the band had released any recorded material.[10][1] The 502s released a self-titled EP in 2016. The release has been described as “a rousing debut that personifies the folk explosion from the past few years highlighted by booming stomps, upbeat tunes, and melodious gang vocals that ooze camaraderie.”[11]

The single “Olivia” was highlighted by local NPR radio station WMFE on their “Hold on to Summer” playlist[12] and the band performed headlining slots at Florida Music Festival and Winter Garden Music Festival.[13][14] Also in 2016, The 502s were invited to perform at Communion Reocrds’ NYC showcase alongside up-and-coming artists Salt Cathedral, Overcoats, Ocean Park Standoff, Michael Daves, and Eric Slick.[15]

In 2017 the band recruited Matthew Tonner, a childhood friend of the Isola family and a former member of Laney Jones’ band, to produce their debut album Because We Had To.[1][9][16] The album was recorded in thirty-six hours.[17] Tonner soon joined the band on piano and electric guitar, along with trumpeter Kaleigh LeBeau.[9][18]

The lead single “What To Do” was released in March 2018[16][19][8] and received a positive review from No Depression, stating “they’ve got enough energy to take on the world”[20] The premiere was preceded by a live video featuring six members of the band and their instruments squeezed into Ed's grandfather's 6×10 laundry room.[21] The album has been described by WMNF as “a heartfelt invitation to good old-fashioned fun.[22]

In 2018 The 502s embarked on a tour of the US and Europe[1][22] and performed at festivals alongside Jason Isbell and Old Crow Medicine Show.[7][23][24] The band also headlined WMNF's Americana Fest in Tampa, FL.[22][25] In 2019, The 502s touring included performs at Americanafest in Nashville,[26][27] recording a live session with Jam in the Van,[28] and headlining Steppin Out Festival in Virginia.[29] Prior to Americanafest, The 502s solidified a new touring lineup featuring Joe Capati on horns, Sean Froehlich on Drums, and Nick Melashenko on Bass. The European tour culminated with a gig in Whelans bar in Dublin, during which time the band had their greatest European show.

In November 2020, a video of The 502s performing a new song "Magdalene" was posted to the band's TikTok account and received over 1 Million views in two days. [30] Isola and Tonner have stated that the band's second album will be released in 2021[1] and will be called "Could it get better than this" and is due to be the single greatest album of this year.