Matthew Albani

Like a fresh slap of glitter to the face, PWR BTTM is shining right now. After critical acclaim for their debut album, Ugly Cherries, Ben Hopkins and Liv Bruce have been touring relentlessly and just announced their second LP, Pageant, out May 12. We sat down with the queer punk duo for an interview about everything from Crock Pots to the election to reaching kids through music. When it comes to your shows, what is the main thing you want to give to your audience?

About a week after Donald Trump was elected president, a group of anti-LGBT protesters gathered outside of PWR BTTM's concert in Jackson, Miss. It was a clear message to the band and their fans, but also a reminder to the rest of the country: Even with the legalization of gay marriage and numerous media outlets celebrating an unabashedly queer punk duo like PWR BTTM, many people outright reject others just for living their lives. In short, there are still a lot of discussions we all need to have.

The act of protesting is one of the most precious liberties Americans have. But protesting doesn't just happen in the streets. Throughout the years, voices of dissent have penetrated American culture via rock, hip-hop and folk music. By putting a message to music, one voice can resonate for millions. From Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan, 20th century protest music started out in the folk realm.