Born as an unrealistic fantasy in a nondescript suburban basement in 2001, BOTAR was little more than a cult-like, rarely mentioned side project for then-nonstop-touring outfit Streetlight Manifesto. After the release of a 4 song EP that year, complete with handmade packaging and no real tangible plans for a future, BOTAR sat in hiding, gestating for about a decade and a half. In the summer of 2017, seemingly out of nowhere, a series of shows was announced for the following year, with a full orchestra replacing the rag-tag 16 piece band that recorded that EP many years ago. Part rock and roll band, part classical orchestra, BOTAR was reborn on the stages of the Beacon Theater and The Orpheum in NYC and LA in early 2018. Despite the sold out shows and feverish enthusiasm of the BOTAR crowds, the group has remained steadfast in its DIY roots and its adherence to the keep-your-head-down-and-make-music ethos of the punk rock word the men behind the band grew up with. BOTAR is ready for a new set of shows in 2019, in even larger venues with even more surprises up its ridiculously massive sleeves.