Bringing the hooks, looks and books since 2022
Genre: Alternative Rock / Pop Punk/ Post-Hardcore
Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
For Fans Of: Green Day, Rise Against, Origami Angel, The Hotelier, Sum 41
Adult Book Club is a high-energy alternative punk trio from Madison, Wisconsin that writes songs about your favorite books.
Formed in 2022, Adult Book Club has been steadily building a local following through their growing library of songs and dynamic live shows. Their sound blends the energetic, melodic style of classic pop punk with riffing flourishes drawn from metal and emo, resulting in songs with an emphasis on tight musicianship, guitar heroics and harmony-rich vocals. Lyrically, the band uses classic novels--like Dune, Catcher in the Rye, and Brave New World-- as a lens to reflect on modern life, society and personal identity.
Since 2023, Adult Book Club has released two EP's (Chapter I and Chapter II) and is working on a full-length debut due in 2026. Their most recent single, "Annihilation" (based on the Jeff Vandermeer novel of the same name) was released in August 2025.
Discography:
Single: “The End of the Line” (2023)
EP: “Chapter I” (2023)
EP: “Chapter II” (2024)
Single: "Annihilation" (2025)
Album: TBA (2026)
Band Lineup:
Charles Donovan (guitar/vocals)
Greg Kernisan (bass/lyrics)
Luke Stanton (drums/vocals)
Promo Gallery
Live Gallery
Music Highlights
The lead single off Chapter II, Catcher in the Rye is a fan favorite that showcases the band's signature catchy hooks and intricate guitar leads, with lyrics about seeking personal meaning in a sea of phonies.
Inspired by the Kazou Ishiguro novel of the same name, Never Let Me Go is the first track from Chapter I, with an earworm chorus and themes of yearning and nostalgia for the years you were coming of age.
The musical lovechild of Rise Against and Iron Maiden, Watchmen reflects on the anxiety caused by public figures who use their power for mass manipulation and chaos.
Based on the Jeff Vandermeer novel of the same name, ANNIHILATION is one of Adult Book Club's most energetic songs yet, capturing the frenetic terror of being sent into a strange wilderness on a mission with no return.
