Oso Oso returns to Pittsburgh with “toe-tapping, rump-shaking” emo punk

As Long Beach, N.Y. emo punk outfit Oso Oso prepares to tour for their sixth album, an exchange of information , lead singer-songwriter and guitarist Jade Lilitri is looking forward to returning to Pittsburgh. “It’s one of the few places I’ve gone for reasons other than playing music. I went to visit the Andy Warhol Museum and loved how interactive it was. That was before COVID,” he recalls. “I saw a Mountain Goats show at Mr. Smalls back then, too, and later, I came back for a baseball game.” But his memories of playing in the Steel City stand out too. When Lilitri first played here, it was with his prior band, State Lines. Making a splash with Hoffman Manor (2011), State Lines stood out for their well-executed, vulnerable pop-punk. As band members drifted to other commitments, Lilitri rebranded as Oso Oso, of which he’s the only standing member. Jade Lilitri of Oso Oso Credit: Dan Maddalone Performing in Pittsburgh with State Lines marked a turning point for the band. “We played a DIY show in this tattoo shop,” Lilitri says. “There was a group of kids there, and it was the first time we had something of a reception.” State Lines and then Oso Oso have also performed numerous times at Mr. Roboto Project in Garfield. This year finds Oso Oso returning to the area, but playing at New Kensington’s Preserving Underground instead. While their new songs continue to channel dissatisfaction and desire, Lilitri contemplates those emotions from a different perspective. On an exchange of information , Lilitri, 34, considers his relationship with music. “The personal pull on this record is being in love with music and being in love with this career. But also, there are points when you realize you’re still not big, and you have to figure out how you’re gonna make it work,” he tells Pittsburgh City Paper . “Do you have to give up the dream? This album is that back-and-forth between giving it up, and then begging yourself not to gi