Hit the Lights (band)

Hit the Lights
Hit the Lights performing at the Glasgow Carling Academy, December 2006
Background information
Origin	Lima, Ohio, United States
Genres	Pop punk
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Razor & Tie, Universal Republic, Triple Crown, Silent Movie, Pure Noise
Associated acts	Polar Bear Club, Paramore, New Found Glory, Against the Odds, Glasseater, Murdock, Roses Are Red, Cartel
Members	Nick Thompson Nate Van Damme David"Dave"Bermosk Kevin Mahoney Kyle Maite
Past members	Colin Ross Omar Zehary Ryan Radebaugh

Hit the Lights is a pop punk band from Lima, Ohio, signed to Pure Noise Records.

Hit the Lights formed in 2003. During the band's documentary "Vultures Don't Eat Vans," the band dispelled rumors that their name was taken from a Metallica song. Band members Colin Ross and Omar Zehery first played in a local band The Goodbye Session. Nick Thompson originally was in a group called The Summer Departure and Nate Van Dame had worked for Hawthorne Heights as a drum tech. The band released their first EP, Leaving Town Tonight, in 2004. In March 2005, Hit the Lights recorded and released the EP Until We Get Caught on Silent Movie Records. The band signed to Triple Crown Records which reissued Until We Get Caught in November 2005.

Hit the Lights headlined the Let It Ride Tour in 2007 which featured support from Just Surrender, All Time Low, Valencia, Forgive Durden, The Secret Handshake, and Love Arcade. Lead singer Colin Ross stated that he could no longer be a part of the band because his heart just was not in it. The other members said they noticed that Ross did not seem to be as into performing and being part of the band the better part of the last year. They were slated to embark on a headlining tour in the United Kingdom in October 2007, but had to cancel due to not being able to find a permanent lead vocalist after Colin Ross left in June 2007. Colin performed his last show with the band on September 15, 2007, at The Axis in Lima, Ohio. After that show, the remaining four members went into recording and recorded a cover, "The Warrior", with Nick Thompson on lead vocals.

The band posted a new demo entitled "Stay Out", on January 31, 2008. Notably, their first single without former lead vocalist Colin Ross. On February 19, 2008, they announced that guitarist/backing vocalist Nick Thompson was taking over the lead vocalist role for the band. On July 8, 2008, Hit the Lights released their second full length titled Skip School, Start Fights. The band shot a music video for the song "Stay Out" in the San Francisco Bay Area on May 27, 2008. The band shot a music video for single "Drop The Girl" on October 6, 2008 in Van Nuys, California. The video includes Glee star Heather Morris in a small role. On June 23, 2009 Hit the lights released Coast to Coast which featured 2 new songs, 2 cover songs, and two acoustic tracks. The band embarked on the 2009 Warped Tour. At Cincinnati stop of the Warped Tour, former vocalist Colin Ross joined Hit the Lights on stage for the song "Bodybag". Hit The Lights embarked on a headlining tour in late 2009, called the Manotour, with opening acts There For Tomorrow, Fireworks, Sparks The Rescue, This Time Next Year, Vinnie Caruana, and Oh No Not Stereo.