Bad Moves

History

Bad Moves were a power pop band from Washington, D.C. that came together in 2015. The group included David Combs, who had been in The Max Levine Ensemble, Spoonboy, Somnia, and Dim Wizard; Katie Park from Hemlines; Daoud Tyler-Ameen of Art Sorority; and Emma Cleveland. They released a self-titled debut EP in 2016 on Don Giovanni Records. In May 2017, they opened for the Scottish band The Spook School on part of a UK tour.

The following year, from late April through early May 2018, they joined Martha of England as support for Jeff Rosenstock during the Northeastern and Midwestern dates of his US tour. Their first full-length album, Tell No One, was recorded at Headroom Studio in Philadelphia with Joe Reinhart of Hop Along and came out on September 21, 2018, also on Don Giovanni. After that, they toured with The Obsessives, Nana Grizol, and Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires.

On July 9, 2018, the band appeared as guest stars in the Craig of the Creek episode "Vulture's Nest" on Cartoon Network. Half of the members have volunteered with youth rock music programs: Combs spent several summers volunteering at Queer Rock Camp in Olympia, Washington, while Park has worked as a band coach with Girls Rock! DC. On April 7, 2020, Bad Moves announced their second album, Untenable, also on Don Giovanni, for release later that spring, and shared the first single "Party with the Kids Who Wanna Party with You."

The album came out on June 26, 2020. On December 19, 2023, they released the single "New Year's Reprieve," aiming to add more pessimistic holiday songs to the world. Their third album, Wearing Out the Refrain, arrived on September 13, 2024. They celebrated with a show in Washington, D.C. on October 27, featuring openers Ekko Astral and Perennial, followed by a short tour through Philadelphia and Brooklyn.

On March 18, 2025, the band announced they were amicably splitting up and scheduled a farewell tour for summer 2025. Combs now makes music as Dim Wizard.