If there’s a way to sum up Ontario, Canada-based band Arm’s Length, it would be this: there truly is a whole world out there, but you’d be a fool not to see this band live at least once in your lifetime.
Though the group – consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Allen Steinberg, bassist Benjamin Greenblatt, and brothers Jeremy and Jeff Whyte on guitar and drums, respectively – has been around since 2019, it is undeniable that 2025 has been the most successful year of their career to date. Not only did the band sign with Pure Noise Records – who also represent emo and pop punk legends like The Story So Far and Knuckle Puck – their most recent album There’s a Whole World Out There became their highest-charting record within a week of its release.
Chart statistics aside, one search through any of their social media accounts show just how much Arm’s Length music resonates with others – myself included. Personally, I remember that around this time last year, one way that I got myself comfortable with taking the next big step in life and living on my own was blasting their debut album, Never Before Seen, Never Again Found, on my TV or Google Home speaker while cooking dinner, cleaning my apartment or watching the sunset on my porch. Needless to say, when the opportunity to cover their show at Amityville Music Hall in Amityville, NY, presented itself, I knew I had to take it.
Before Arm’s Length took the stage, the three opening bands – Bike Routes, RILEY! And Prince Daddy and the Hyena – hyped up the packed-in crowd for what was to come. From what I noticed, the amount of crowd-surfers and circling mosh pits boomed during Prince Daddy’s set, which does make sense given their decade-long history and catchy, head-thrashing tracks like “***HIDDEN TRACK***” and “I Forgot To Take My Meds Today.” However, my favorite opener of the night happened to be RILEY! – mainly because security tackled someone dressed as a red Power Ranger who jumped on stage, and I couldn’t stop laughing during that moment.
As soon as Arm’s Length took the stage, the energy within the venue felt so electric, it was almost as if the room itself was tingling. Though the show was advertised as promotion for There’s a Whole World Out There, which dropped about halfway through their most recent tour, the tracks included on their setlist came from all across their discography. These included popular songs like “Object Permanence” and “Funny Face,” along with deep cuts like “Garamond.” When combined, Arm’s Length’s performance didn’t feel like a band performing to an audience; to me, it felt like a group of guys having a deep, meaningful conversation to another group of people.
There were a few highlights for me throughout the night. First of all, I crowdsurfed for the very first time at this show! Do I remember which song I decided to lose my crowdsurfing virginity to? Nope. But was it an incredible experience to feel weightless and on top of the world while enjoying the music? Abolsutely.
The other – and arguably most memorable – moment of the night was during the closing song of the set, “Overture.” As the crowd screamed each lyric so loud that you could barely hear the band, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia while taking in each word. On surface level, the lyrics touch upon a dysfunctional relationship between a child and their parent, but dig deeper – specifically with the phrase “Born and raised tending to our trauma bond / Because you know that it’s all we got,” – and it is no wonder why the band chose this song to be their last. Whether it’s a complicated relationship with a loved ones, addiction or struggles with mental health, we’ve all got a trauma bond to something. It’s not only what makes us human, but also what brings people together – that no matter what you may be going through, in the grand scheme of things, you are never alone.
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