Text graphic that says "USED TO BE VALENTINES" with a heart symbol replacing the letter A in "VALENTINES".
Two musicians performing on stage. The man on the left is playing guitar and singing into a microphone, wearing a reddish-brown shirt. The woman on the right is singing into a microphone, wearing a copper-colored dress with a corset-style waist and black stockings, with short, tousled hair. The background displays a sign that reads "O'Reilly's of Hartford Street," and the stage has various musical equipment, including a keyboard and microphones.

Used to Be Valentines blends the urgency of late ’90s pop punk with the emotional weight of 2000s emo and alternative rock, pairing soaring vocal hooks, massive drums, and melodic guitar riffs with lyrics about missed chances, sleepless nights, overanalyzed texts, and memories that never fully let go. Their debut album, The Good Years, explores reckless youth, longing, and the romantic chaos of “what if,” while the upcoming follow-up, Growing Pains, turns inward — confronting nostalgia, accountability, identity, and the difficult process of moving forward. Known for high-energy live shows that balance emotional vulnerability with explosive performance, Used to Be Valentines creates music for the healers, the spiralers, and anyone still learning how to let go without losing themselves.

VIDEOS

PAST SHOWS

A band performing live on stage with a guitarist in the foreground, singing and playing guitar, with a drummer in the background. The stage has curtains and a sign that reads 'UP THE CRE' and 'VINYL RECORDS, BOOKS, LOCAL'.
A woman dressed in a red and black corset-style dress with a full skirt and lace details, holding a microphone, standing in front of a stage with a sign that reads "LILLY'S NIGHT STREET." She has short dark hair with bangs and is wearing a choker necklace.
A man is on stage with raised arms, smiling, in front of a microphone, with musical equipment in the background at a live music venue.
A man with long blond hair and a beard is playing an electric guitar. He is standing in front of a pinkish red wall with stage lighting, with audio equipment and a music stand nearby.
A man with long blond hair and a beard is playing an electric guitar. He is standing in front of a pinkish red wall with stage lighting, with audio equipment and a music stand nearby.
Two musicians performing on stage, one playing guitar with eyes closed and another with a cap focused on his guitar.
Four men smiling with arms around each other standing on stage in front of a dark curtain with a sign that reads 'P T'. There is a microphone in front of them, and a bright vertical light on the right side of the image. The setting appears to be a performance or open mic night.
A man with a beard and mustache wearing a black cap with red embroidery that reads 'Used to be Valentines' and a heart design. He is holding a microphone and pointing forward, with a background featuring red illuminated text.
A man with a beard and mustache wearing a black cap with red embroidery that reads 'Used to be Valentines' and a heart design. He is holding a microphone and pointing forward, with a background featuring red illuminated text.
A man with light brown hair, a beard, and wearing orange earplugs is smiling and making a rock and roll hand gesture. Next to him is a woman with short black hair, wearing a dark gray T-shirt with city names on it, smiling and also making a rock and roll hand gesture. They are posing together indoors, in front of a dark background.
Two men standing close together in a rustic indoor setting. The man on the left has a beard, glasses, and is wearing a black t-shirt and a black cap. The man on the right has a beard, is smiling, and is wearing a light-colored t-shirt. They appear to be enjoying a casual gathering, with a wooden wall and some hats hanging in the background.
Two men standing indoors; one with light-colored hair, wearing a white T-shirt with black text and white pants, looking down at a phone, and the other with dark hair, tattoos on their arm, wearing a black T-shirt, holding a small object, smiling and looking at the first man.
Group of five young men smiling and posing for a photo at an indoor event.
A man playing drums on a stage with a wooden backdrop and a sign that reads 'Creek Books•Local Artisans' in the background. The lighting is dark with red and purple hues.
A group of performers on stage at a music venue called O'Reilly's of Hatchet Street. They are singing and playing instruments under stage lights, with a dark background and illuminated sign.

Used to Be Valentines has earned recognition beyond the local scene—most notably as a band supported by Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray—while staying deeply committed to community and purpose. The band performed a Gilman Benefit Concert in support of families affected by ICE and continues to organize benefit shows for causes they believe in under the banner Open Your Eyes Open Your Hearts. Alongside their advocacy work, Used to Be Valentines is dedicated to creating their own destination events, including the Used to Be Valentines Winter Formal and an annual Valentine’s Day show, turning their music into meaningful, can’t-miss experiences. Niels Sorensen and Rachel Lynch co-lead the band’s creative direction, with Niels writing the songs while personally designing all event flyers, merchandise, and album artwork, and Rachel shaping the band’s visual world through its videography, photography, and overall creative direction—together making Used to Be Valentines a fully self-built, artist-driven project from sound to story to visuals.

HIGHLIGHTS

Four men smiling and standing close together on stage with microphones, with a background of red curtains and a sign that says 'L' and 'R' in white letters.