Mike Walsh, a junior in criminal justice at Iowa State, formed a band one year ago. Now, The Tryhards are embarking on a tour this summer, starting at DG’s Taphouse in Ames and ending at the Iowa State Fair at the Bud Light Stage. 

The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Mike Walsh, bassist Ryder Neys, summer Alexander Chapman and touring guitarist Kendrick Davis. According to their Facebook page, the band’s mission is “to deliver fast paced, catchy, and inspiring rock and roll.” They also cite bands like Green Day, Good Charlotte, Led Zeppelin and The Killers as inspiration. 

Their first full length album, Working with Animals, is set to be released on July 27th. The album’s demo tracks were released on June 17th, and their first EP, Crash Dummy, was released in 2016. 

The band’s tour will start at DG’s Taphouse on August 4, and will hit cities like Ankeny, Creston and Iowa City, before playing Rockford, IL and finally, the Iowa State Fair on August 15th. 

Click here to hear some of their releases.