To some, Stars Hollow is a fictional town in Connecticut. To those in the know, Stars Hollow is an emo band from Des Moines, Iowa, who have been crafting killer riffs and knockout licks since 2015. With songs that aren’t afraid to dig into the harsh realities of living with depression and regret, Stars Hollow have carved out a space where people can scream, dance, and thrash along to the most brutal parts of life that otherwise feel too hard to acknowledge. This approach has clearly resonated, taking the band on nationwide tours and even overseas, ripping gigs in sweaty basements and neon-lit bars to hordes of fans ready to shout along with every note. — Taylor Grimes