Video Premiere: Tioga Puts "Bad Things" On The Chopping Block

Tioga, photo by Bob Sweeney

By Emily Herbein

Fully leaning into that directional shift I previously mentioned, Tioga enlisted the help of Philly creative Bob Sweeney to bring their vision of “Bad Things” - a dreamy dark pop exploration of the fear of isolation - to life. This video grips you immediately and with a sense of urgency in the same way that its conception gripped singer Greg Adams: "The idea for the music video came together in a stream of consciousness around a table at a diner in Philadelphia last winter. We literally recorded ourselves pitching the concept and then played it back so we didn’t forget any of the details because we were just brainstorming so rapidly. The concept in one sentence is: If David Lynch directed an episode of Food Network’s Chopped.”

I couldn’t describe it more spot-on if I tried, and that’s my job. There’s a definite eerieness to this video thanks to the staging of Adams’ solo shots and the lighting that washes over the band while they play. The plot is funny in an off-putting sense and seems to progress in such a way that its ending could have a dozen different resolutions. Aside from the comedy, there’s a level of serious production quality that has to be recognized, from hiring an outside actor, Hannah Parke, to the maturity of fully directing a video that includes aspects other than a live play-through. Guitarist Derrick Dieso feels that is the most successful part of bringing this track to life. "The video really came from the results of us wanting to up the ante for what we could do with a music video. We wanted costumes, the distraction-less white background, and a core idea that we could bring to life. We all had such a kick getting into character and being silly for such a ‘dark” song.’”

Tioga’s other music videos include a lyric video for “Imaginary Friend,” a staged play-through of “Suffer,” and a basement shoot of “Break Me In.” “Bad Things” is, by far, the band’s most thoughtful creation that successfully emphasizes their hope at fluidly transitioning their sound and brand, and I think that’s partly thanks to having outside, professional help. Bassist Austin Paragas attests to how much of an asset videographer Bob Sweeney was to their project. "Overall the shoot was so fun! Bob Sweeney really pulled out all the stops to make planning and shooting this video so easy and take our vision to something far more entertaining than I myself was envisioning. Everything from getting styled as a snooty and entitled food judge to wearing jumpsuits was extremely fun and out of our normal realm of being. Seeing the final product was definitely a feeling of excitement and pride and I would love to do something like this again." Drummer Henri Tyler Brooks echoed this sentiment. I already want to see more from them. I want “Bad Things: Part 2” immediately. "For me, the big takeaway was that this was our first successful venture into a narrative video. The experience just made me want to keep making videos! I’m sure I speak for all the guys when I say that. I think with the success of this video, possibility of making more things really clicked and now we’re gonna run with it,” Brooks said.

If Tioga can continue on this creative trajectory and capitalize on their ability to write these catchy, dark hooks, they’ll have no problem maintaining a following that demands more from them. Even I can vouch for them as one of my favorite groups to work with. It’s one thing to give press to a band that will thank you and move on, but it’s another to feel like you have a place in their journey, wherever it takes them. Tioga makes me feel very included, and it gives me hope that working in the music industry doesn’t have to be a thankless job. More bands need to be like them.

I’m extremely proud to be premiering this video for them because of that. Watch “Bad Things” below, and stream the single anywhere you find music.