Barreling down a snowy highway in South Dakota, midway through a drive that would ultimately span from Chicago to Vancouver (over 30 hours, for those counting), Brooklyn’s the Skins sounded quite chipper when Fender News caught up with them over the phone.

Sure, the upstart quintet was sandwiched inside a 12-passenger Sprinter van crammed with all their gear and baggage, but this was actually fun for them.

After forming in 2012, the band has supported a sold-out tour with U.K. rockers the Heavy and earned accolades for eye-opening performances at Afropunk Fest, CMJ and the South by Southwest music festival. What’s more, this cross-country trip was for a string of shows opening for the buzzworthy Jake Bugg.

Not too bad for a group that ranges in age from 15-21. Truly, the Skins are on the rise, and they are enjoying the ride …