The Boxer Rebellion - FUV Live - 2013

The Boxer Rebellion might take its name from Chinese history and not the boxing ring, but there's a pugilistic determination that buoys the band. The quartet has a potent backstory, persevering despite personal tragedy, record label catastrophes, financial setbacks, illness and even — as they experienced earlier this year — a siege and lockdown on a California campus.

The Boxer Rebellion's upbeat attitude and DIY aesthetic — they have their own label — has served them well, perhaps influencing the anthemic might, muscle and grace of their music. On their new album, Promises, that hopeful spirit courses through songs like "Diamonds" and "New York," both of which the British-American-Australian band played live when they visited FUV earlier this summer.

[recorded: 06/20/13]