Kevin Bronson on March 2nd, 2009

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I was a sucker for Yellowcard’s 2003 breakout album, “Ocean Avenue,” and when they followed it up in ’05 with “Lights and Sounds” I figured them for long-running success. Maybe their next album, “Paper Walls,” didn’t advance their teen-angst aesthetic enough, or maybe the kids found a newer model, but the band is now on “indefinite hiatus.” Singer Ryan Key [pictured at the 2007 Warped Tour] has now teamed up with Sean O’Donnell, of the similar hibernating Reeve Oliver, in Big If – and the two demos they have posted on their MySpace also strike chord with my inner 17-year-old, I am not ashamed to say.

What of their other bands? Key posted this last week:

Lots of you are sending messages asking about the fate of our previous bands. Neither Yellowcard or Reeve Oliver feel like it is necessary to announce official break ups. There may come a time down the road where we want to get together and play shows with those bands. Who knows when that may be, but we aren’t ruling it out completely. However, Sean and I are really excited about working together and we are both focusing 100% of our energy and effort on BIG IF. I hope this clears it up a bit and thanks so much for all of this early support. We are going to need it!

‣ Secrets: I see NBCLA.com has appropriated KROQ-FM’s “Locals Only” moniker and are doing secret shows – including one Saturday featuring Shiny Toy Guns at a Silver Lake studio. I also see the “Around Town” section of the station’s website has become something of a city guide … mainly, of course, by linking to others’ original content.

‣ Vanishing Virgins: The Times Square location had already gone down – now the Wrap is reporting all the Virgin Megastores, including the one in Hollywood, will close later this year.

‣ 30: And, holy cow, the English Beat is 30 years old. The band’s big anniversary tour has three local stops: Friday at the Canyon Club, March 13 at Brixton in Redondo Beach and the next day at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Ska on …