By Mick Dillon / The Jambar
Ultra Q is set to perform a one-hour set April 26 as the headlining act of this weekend’s Federal Frenzy, hosted by Penguin Productions.
Previously known as Mt. Eddy, the Oakland, California-based alternative rock band Ultra Q is led by Jakob Armstrong, lead singer and youngest son of Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.
Ultra Q’s genre-bending qualities have resulted in over 33,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Armstrong formed Ultra Q with childhood friends Enzo and Chris Malaspina, who play the guitar and drums, respectively. High school classmate and bassist Kevin Judd started the group with them as well.
Ultra Q has released two EP’s and three full-length projects — each with unique sounds that blend genres such as shoegaze, punk and garage rock.
In an interview with The Aquarian, Armstrong named ‘80s goth rock pioneers, The Cure, as sonic inspirations for Ultra Q’s 2023 debut album, “My Guardian Angel.”
“My favorite band is The Cure. They are the rock gods to me,” Armstrong stated. “It’s sort of like a mixtape from punk to the Strokes to shoegaze elements — as far out of our favorite sounds.”
Armstrong’s distinct voice echoes the familiar tones that produced hits like “American Idiot” and “Basket Case.”
Ultra Q released its debut EP, “We’re Starting to Get Along,” in 2019. The five-track record totals in at 15 minutes and explores different subgenres of alternative rock. This EP serves as the foundation establishing Ultra Q as a modern, edgy version of the Strokes.
The group waited a year before releasing their second project, “In a Cave in a Video Game,” in 2020. The seven-track compilation continues Ultra Q’s alternative journey with fast-paced, catchy tunes.
2021 saw another release of a six song, 20-minute EP titled, “Get Yourself A Friend.” Ultra Q continues to establish its alternative rock sound on the record with catchy vocals and raw instrumentals.
The alternative rock quartet held off from releasing more music until its debut album, “My Guardian Angel,” in 2023. With 12 songs coming in at a runtime of just under 40 minutes, this album was the group’s most complete body of work to date.
Armstrong stated that the album served as a way to emotionally move on from past events.
“As you get older and time passes, you see friends move away and get jobs. This record, to me, was kind of reflecting on not having that space anymore,” Armstrong said. “It also reflects on some other familial events that happened … This record dealt with all those emotions I was having, and it was very therapeutic to write and record.”
Their most recent album, “Empty Eddy,” released in 2024. The 10-track album is a nod to the band’s previous name, Mt. Eddy, and musically represents Ultra Q turning the page to a more gritty, expressive style of rock.
Ultra Q is set to take Youngstown State University’s Penguin Productions main stage at 10 p.m.