Dylan Rau met Ted Feldman while the two attended
Wesleyan University, and were later joined by Loper and Orscher through their previous band (In Pieces), who were involved in the local Connecticut ska & hardcore punk scene. During an interview at
SXSW 2010, Orscher was quoted saying "Dylan had some material he wanted to put with a band, and a project Val and I were working on for the last half decade just ended. He said he knew the perfect guitarist and when we met up and played for the first time, as cliche as it may be, everything just clicked. We started writing material together, fleshing songs out and started playing some local shows around NYC." A few months after forming, the band released their first EP,
Golden, and became a "New York buzz band" due to popular blog features. Three years later, the group released their 11-track album,
Burning Bush Supper Club. In 2019 they released the single "
Blue Lips". Bear Hands has an impressive history of live performances and notable appearances. On April 1, 2014, the band performed a live session at KEXP, showcasing their dynamic sound and energetic performance style. Later that year, on October 27, Bear Hands made an appearance on
Conan. Over the years, Bear Hands has played at some of the most renowned music festivals around the world. They performed at the
Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2009, marking their entry into the international festival circuit. In 2014, the band played at several major festivals, including
Coachella,
Lollapalooza, and the
Lowlands Festival, reaching a wide audience and gaining significant acclaim. Bear Hands also has toured with
Twenty One Pilots as the opening act for the
Bandito Tour from May 12 to June 30, 2019. In 2024, Bear Hands re-signed with Cantora Records. This newly reformed label, now under the umbrella of
Rostrum Records, represents a new chapter for the band as they continue to create and perform music. ==Discography==