Weird Nightmare, Autopolitan, Tall Grass

Saturday, May 30 Weird Nightmare w/ Autopolitan and Tall Grass at Grog ShopDoors 7:30 PM | Show 8:30 PMALL AGES$15 advance / $20 day of show+ $3 at door if under 21Every band worth its salt has a member who worked in a record store.In METZ, the fearless noise rock trio who released five full-length albums on Sub Pop between 2012 and 2024, it was singer and guitarist Alex Edkins. Slinging indie rock and hardcore records in his hometown record store while attending university, Edkins became an ardent student of rock n roll; from the psychedelic 1960s to the DIY 1990s and beyond. Hoopla, the catchy, melodic second LP from Edkinss solo project Weird Nightmare, mixes and matches these influences in fun and exhilarating combinations, displaying his sophisticated musical mind. Bursting to life with hooks and earworms, Hoopla is that one tape that never gets ejected from the car stereo, but plays on repeat, soundtracking the summer. New and nostalgic at the same time, Hoopla will perk up your ears.Weird Nightmares self-produced, and decidedly lo-fi, self-titled debut was recorded at home during the pandemic and released by Sub Pop in 2022. Weird Nightmare displayed Edkinss indie rock sensibility, with a penchant for undeniable hooks and massive sing-along choruses. His skills at writing and performing only tightened on a series of singles that followed.On the new studio album Hooplaco-produced with Spoons Jim Eno and recorded at Seth Manchesters Machines with MagnetsEdkins expands Weird Nightmares dimensions even further. Gilded onto the direct emotions of his straightforward songwriting, new musical textures such as piano, bells, and castanets give these well-wrought tunes a shiny luster. Its like a beloved indie director leveling up to their first studio feature. If Weird Nightmares debut was an underground crowd pleaser akin to Richard Linklaters Slacker, then Hoopla is Edkinss Dazed and Confused, or even better, Before Sunrise. Hoopla represents a huge leap forward in h