Summer School New Artist Showcase Festival Announces 2025 Sophomore Run

Summer School is back for its Sophomore session.

On Tuesday morning (April 1) idobi Radio Summer School Tour founders Eric Tobin (Hopeless Records), Michael Kaminsky (management firm KMGMT) and Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman announced the return of the traveling punk rock showcase for new acts with a lineup that includes headliner Taylor Acorn and support from acts Charlotte Sands, Rain City Drive, If Not For Me, Beauty School Dropout, Arrows in Action, and Huddy.  

Sponsored by idobi radio and Hot Topic, the coast-to-coast showcase will make an inaugural stop at the July 27 Vans Warped Tour date in Long Beach, Calif.; the Warped tour is returning for a limited three-stop run this summer after a six-year absence.

“We launched last year and were really encouraged by the reaction to Summer School from the fans — there had been a need in the market for new bands to connect with young audiences looking for new bands to support,” Tobin tells Billboard. He noted that he and his partners had always imagined Summer School as a touring vehicle from a bygone era, working with young bands to focus on artist development, community, ticket affordability and social impact.

Kaminsky tells Billboard that acts on the tour alternate set times at each date and are encouraged to spend time meeting and interacting with fans, describing the tour as an “incubator for the next generation” of headliners.

“If you look at the current touring business, most new acts are given support slots on tours and not given a chance to breakout on their own and shine,” Kaminsky says. “This is a chance for these acts to enjoy some of the spotlight without high priced tickets.”

Lyman said he was immediately sold on the idea once it was pitched by Tobin and Kaminsky last year, noting “the lack of available opportunities for young bands to find audiences. There’s very little artist development for today’s acts and hopefully Summer School creates a vehicle for that development.”

‘Launching July 11 at the Fillmore Detroit, the 2025 run will stop in 23 cities before wrapping at Philadelphia’s Franklin Music Hall. Pre-sale tickets for the 2025 idobi Radio Summer School Tour are available with reduced ticketing fees here beginning today at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. General on-sale tickets are available for $35 plus applicable taxes and fees starting Friday, April 4 at 10 a.m. local time.

Eddie Barella, CEO of sponsor idobi Radio, called the partnership “an incredible honor” for “championing emerging artists, amplifying their voices, and ensuring that alternative music continues to thrive” while Andrea Lewis, Hot Topic VP of Brand Marketing added, “Partnering with Summer School allows us to support the next generation of artists and fans who are shaping the future of alternative culture, and we’re proud to be part of something that creates such an unforgettable experience.”

Dates for idobi Radio Summer School are below. More at summerschooltour.com.

July 11, 2025 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit

* Vans Warped Tour Event