The Weekend Run Club, a queer majority indie band, released their highly-anticipated album, Liminal Space Race. The quintet writes songs about coming of age, identity, and everything interpersonal, drawing influences from punk, emo, rock, alternative, and power pop. The Weekend Run Club creates music for the introverted party rockers, the reflective extraterrestrial, and everyone in between, with an emphasis on guitar licks and emotional, self-revealing lyrics that are danceable.
We had a conversation with them regarding the release, their future plans, and the reasons you should listen to their music. Check it out here at IGNITE!
Hey The Weekend Run Club, how are you doing?
I’m scared! Putting out new music always terrifies me. That being said, I feel really relieved to finally have new music to define the next chapter of our lineup in a more official sense.
How and when did The Weekend Run Club form?
In 2017 I started the project with a previous member. We wrote demos and recorded them at the local library. This current lineup has been around for over two years now.
Who are your main influences as a band?
From a songwriting standpoint, I’m inspired by vulnerability. This transcends looking up to other artists. I can find a muse in any meaningful conversation with a loved one or a stranger. Because our music is so personal, it’s really hard to say that it’s influenced by artists we don’t know personally, even though we do have lots of favorite artists.
Sum up your music for us in three words?
big gay rock.
What's your biggest highlight as a group so far?
Getting to play some of the bigger Chicago venues like The Metro and Park West was pretty awesome. We also have gotten to open for some pretty unique international acts like Pussy Riot and Lime Cordiale which feels really validating for us. That stuff aside, we probably have the most fun when we’re spending time traveling to play shows because that’s when we really get time to bond and hang out.
How have friends and family reacted to your journey so far in music?
This is something that I’ve always tried to be so attuned to, but now that you’re asking, I’m not sure I have a clear answer yet. I’ve always had more self-doubt about my music career than any of my friends or family have had, so that must mean they are pretty supportive. My mom almost never misses a show. My parents and Gary’s parents are definitely super fans.
Congratulations on the release of your new album ‘Liminal Space Race’. We're loving it! How did it come about and what’s the meaning and/or message behind the album?
The album has a really anxious undertone. The urgency for writing the album came from a pretty huge lineup change a few years back. Initially, I felt super inadequate about my ability to write a whole album but I really wanted to take on the challenge. All of the songs are about coming of age and are direct snapshots of some really personal moments in my life. Everyone really stepped up to deliver the intensity of the emotion behind these songs.
What was the recording and writing process like for this album?
Even though the album took about a year to write, I would still consider it a pretty quick turnaround. We wrote the album while we were adding three new members to the band. So not only were they learning all of the old music, but they were also helping me write the new music. Sometimes we wrote and recorded things right on the spot. The solos for Big Kids and Liar, Liar (Pants on Fire) were written on the spot in the studio.
How would you describe this album sonically for our readers?
It’s more polished than anything we’ve done before. The vocals are really front and center. If you like picking apart lyrics, this album is great for you! If you don’t, you’re in luck because Ryan, Xack, Gary, and Greg are truly some of the most impressive musicians I’ve ever worked with. There is always something exciting going on with the guitar tones. Xack and Gary’s work in the rhythm section are not only tighter than I’ve ever heard but also really bouncy and dancy. It’s really hard to pin down a genre for this album, but I think that it suggests a steady movement toward a rockier sound. There’s more depth to this album. I feel like our older music had a lot of things happening at the same time; this newer sound is a little bit more intentional and organized. It’s a little more obvious to the listener when the narrative is important as opposed to when the instrumentals should be the key focus.
What are your plans for the rest of 2024? What can fans expect?
We’re working on playing as often as we can outside of Chicago. We’re already meeting a bunch of new markets in the Midwest this spring. I’m already working on another album, but who knows how long that will take. If anyone anywhere wants to play a show, hit us up!
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