Hailing from Connecticut, Tip The Van grew up far from the temperate climates of Southern California or sunny Florida – the typical bastions of ska and reggae. But the six piece group of spirited musicians made the best of their home state and melded some unusual influences into their tunes.

Formed by sisters Nicole and Simone Oliva in 2002 while they were both still in high school, Tip The Van began writing like their favorite bands, which blended pop, reggae and ska into a perfect storm of high energy entertainment.

After they added Stephanie Allen on trombone, the group had formed their original, solid lineup. Since then, they’ve added three fellas to fill in the rest of the gaps. Through numerous lineup changes the ladies and gentlemen of Tip The Van have maintained a hard road-work ethic and have written some of the best undiscovered music of the genre.

As veterans of the Van’s Warped Tour, the group has graced the stage with highly acclaimed female groups like Paramore and Damone since they began playing the indie punk tour in 2005. Over the past summer, the group joined the tour for numerous acoustic shows and band giveaways.

The group released their three song EP “Passion, Love and Pride” in 2009 and have been on the road with Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto. They are currently riding high on the release of their new single, “Refuse the Tide,” which has a decidedly pop bent to it.

Currently on the Southern leg of their summer tour, Tip The Van will be playing The Independent on Thursday, Sept. 9. Check out tipthevan.com for tunes and more info about the group.