Weird Nightmare, the new project from Alex Edkins of METZ, has released a cover of the Ramones’ song “She’s the One.” Edkins delivers a refreshingly low-key rendition of this punk rock classic showcasing Beatles-esque harmonies, Duane Eddy-inspired fuzz guitar, and pedal steel played by Aaron Goldstein. “She’s the One” is available for your listening & viewing pleasure now. Watch the official animated skate video directed by Ladyhead Design that cruises through the streets of Toronto to some of Edkins’ favorite haunts. Weird Nightmare has confirmed new shows for summer and fall 2023 throughout Canada, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. These dates begin June 9th, with a performance at this year’s DO WEST FEST in Toronto, with an additional Canadian festival play on June 25th at the Sled Island Festival in Calgary. Edkins and co. will then head overseas in August and September, opening for Daniel Romano and Julianna Riolino throughout the Netherlands and Scandinavia. See below for a full list of shows.
Fri. Jun. 09 - Toronto, CA - DO WEST FEST Sun. Jun. 25 - Calgary, CA - Sled Island Festival Thu. Jul. 12 - Toronto, CA - Horseshoe Tavern $ Sat. Aug. 26 - Nijmegen, NL - Doornroosje # Sun. Aug. 27 - Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg # Tue. Aug. 29 - Gothenburg, SE - Pustervik # Wed. Aug. 30 - Malmo, SE - Folk å Rock # Fri. Sep. 01 - Kristiansand S, NO - KICK Nattklubb & Scene # Sat. Sep. 02 - Stavanger, NO - Folken # Sun. Sep. 03 - Bergen, NO - Landmark # Mon. Sep 04 - Oslo, NO - Rockefeller Music Hall # Tue. Sep 05 - Trondheim, NO - Byscenen # Wed. Sep. 06 - Östersund, SE - Nails Östersund # Thu. Sep. 07 - Solna, SE -Värdshuset Koppartälten # Fri. Sep. 08 - Copenhagen, DK - Global Copenhagen # Tue. Sep 12 - Gent, BE - Vooruit #
$ w/ Protomartyr # w/ Daniel Romano and Julianna Riolino
What people have been saying about Weird Nightmare: “The debut Weird Nightmare album from METZ guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins is a hook-filled set of blown-out power-pop with distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and bright pop melodies.” - KEXP
“The tension between chaos and order sparks gripping theater on songs like “Searching for You,” a descendant of “Anarchy in the UK,” the grunge-inclined “Lusitania” and the atypical, eight-minute ballad “Holding Out,” which suggests an angsty sleepwalker. Whatever the groove, Edkins sounds like a man on the verge of spontaneous combustion.” - THE BIG TAKEOVER
“Weird Nightmare is all about hooks and melody. Still delivered with levels in the red, but these are ultra catchy powerpop songs first and foremost, and really good ones at that.” - BROOKLYN VEGAN
“‘Weird Nightmare’ is Alex Edkins giving us an access-all-areas pass to his creative process. It’s an invite no-one should decline.” - NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS
“Weird Nightmare isn’t something that will have listeners running away or falling asleep. Edkins’s 10-song tracklist is a fun, energetic and zany concoction of sounds and textures that recall his main band while simultaneously taking things in fresh directions.” - EXCLAIM!
“If having fun and being free was what Edkins most wanted to come through on the recording of Weird Nightmare, he undoubtedly achieved it on his delightfully distorted and warped debut solo album.” - EXCLAIM!
“On the 10 tracks that comprise the project’s self-titled Sub Pop debut, Edkins revels in magnetic hooks and brighter, sunny melodies, exploring explicitly an aspect of his songwriting that had previously been mostly implicit.” - TREBLE
“…Weird Nightmare will bring a little noisy sunshine to your day.” - NARC
Weird Nightmare’s gloriously distorted cover of The Troggs’ 1966 classic bummer ballad, “Our Love Will Still Be There” is out now. “British Invasion is a really big part of my musical DNA” shares Weird Nightmare’s Alex Edkins. “The Kinks, The Troggs, The Pretty Things are my go-to comfort music. I wear their influence pretty heavily on my sleeve on at least a couple Weird Nightmare songs, “I Think You Know” and “Lusitania” come to mind. The Troggs, and all the American garage bands they influenced, make distorted pop that, to my ears, sounds like the precursor to punk. Loose, gritty, immediate, and heartfelt.”
This new cover follows the band’s self-titled full length debut, as well as the double A-Side split, “I Think You Know” w/ “Bird With an Iron Head” with friends Ancient Shapes, in addition to the recently released single “So Far Gone.”
Weird Nightmare are currently on tour opening a batch of US dates w Archers of Loaf, before and then after Edkins heads out on a special 10 Years Anniversary Tour on the US west coast w METZ in December. See below for a full list of dates.
Weird Nightmare Tour Dates w/ Archers of Loaf: Fri. Dec. 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw Wed. Jan. 11 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace Thu. Jan. 12 - Detroit, MI - El Club Fri. Jan 13 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge Sat. Jan 14 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall Sun. Jan 15 - Nashville, TN - Basement East
METZ 10 Years Anniversary Tour Dates: Wed. Dec. 07 - Phoenix AZ - Valley Bar # Thu. Dec. 08 - Los Angeles, CA- Teragram Ballroom # Fri. Dec. 09 - Oakland, CA - New Parish # Sun. Dec. 11 - Seattle, WA - Neumos # Mon. Dec. 12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge # Thu. Dec. 15 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club * Fri. Dec 16 - Chicago, IL - Metro *
# w/ Kowloon Walled City * w/ Spiritual Cramp
What people have been saying about Weird Nightmare: “The debut Weird Nightmare album from METZ guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins is a hook-filled set of blown-out power-pop with distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and bright pop melodies.” - KEXP
“The tension between chaos and order sparks gripping theater on songs like “Searching for You,” a descendant of “Anarchy in the UK,” the grunge-inclined “Lusitania” and the atypical, eight-minute ballad “Holding Out,” which suggests an angsty sleepwalker. Whatever the groove, Edkins sounds like a man on the verge of spontaneous combustion.” - The Big Takeover
“Weird Nightmare is all about hooks and melody. Still delivered with levels in the red, but these are ultracatchy powerpop songs first and foremost, and really good ones at that.” - Brooklyn Vegan
“‘Weird Nightmare’ is Alex Edkins giving us an access all areas pass to his creative process. It’s an invite no-one should decline.” - Northern Transmissions
“Weird Nightmare isn’t something that will have listeners running away or falling asleep. Edkins’s 10-song tracklist is a fun, energetic and zany concoction of sounds and textures that recall his main band while simultaneously taking things in fresh directions.” - Exclaim!
“If having fun and being free was what Edkins most wanted to come through on the recording of Weird Nightmare, he undoubtedly achieved it on his delightfully distorted and warped debut solo album.” - Exclaim!
“On the 10 tracks that comprise the project’s self-titled Sub Pop debut, Edkins revels in magnetic hooks and brighter, sunny melodies, exploring explicitly an aspect of his songwriting that had previously been mostly implicit.” - Treble
“…Weird Nightmare will bring a little noisy sunshine to your day.” - Narc
“So Far Gone,” the latest track from Weird Nightmare, the electrifying new project from METZ guitarist and singer Alex Edkins is now available for your listening pleasure on all digital service providers. The single is an exuberant blast of fun-as-hell, melodic indie rock that mixes equal parts Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, and Edkins’ own METZ-ian snarl. This stand-alone track follows the double A-Side split, “I Think You Know” w/ “Bird With an Iron Head” with friends Ancient Shapes, and the self-titled debut full-length released earlier this year, which was aptly described by The Quietus as “…an irresistibly euphoric blast of feedback spattered garage-pop that is just what the doctor ordered to chase away any lingering post-lockdown blues.”
Weird Nightmare will play a few Canadian shows later this week with Ancient Shapes, as well as a batch of US dates w Archers of Loaf, both before and then after Edkins heads out on a special 10 Years Anniversary Tour on the US west coast w METZ in December. See below for a full list of dates.
Weird Nightmare Tour Dates w/ Ancient Shapes: Thu. Nov. 17 - Hamilton, ON - Casbah Fri. Nov. 18 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace Sat. Nov 19 - St Catharines, ON - Warehouse
Weird Nightmare Tour Dates w/ Archers of Loaf: Tue. Nov. 29 - Baltimore, MD -Ottobar Wed. Nov. 30 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts Thu. Dec. 01 - Cambridge, MA - SInclair Fri. Dec. 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw Wed. Jan. 11 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace Thu. Jan. 12 - Detroit, MI - El Club Fri. Jan 13 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge Sat. Jan 14 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall Sun. Jan 15 - Nashville, TN - Basement East
METZ 10 Years Anniversary Tour Dates: Wed. Dec. 07 - Phoenix AZ - Valley Bar # Thu. Dec. 08 - Los Angeles, CA- Teragram Ballroom # Fri. Dec. 09 - Oakland, CA - New Parish # Sun. Dec. 11 - Seattle, WA - Neumos # Mon. Dec. 12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge # Thu. Dec. 15 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club * Fri. Dec 16 - Chicago, IL - Metro *
# w/ Kowloon Walled City * w/ Spiritual Cramp
What people have been saying about Weird Nightmare: “The debut Weird Nightmare album from METZ guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins is a hook-filled set of blown-out power-pop with distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and bright pop melodies.” - KEXP
“The tension between chaos and order sparks gripping theater on songs like “Searching for You,” a descendant of “Anarchy in the UK,” the grunge-inclined “Lusitania” and the atypical, eight-minute ballad “Holding Out,” which suggests an angsty sleepwalker. Whatever the groove, Edkins sounds like a man on the verge of spontaneous combustion.” - The Big Takeover
“Weird Nightmare is all about hooks and melody. Still delivered with levels in the red, but these are ultracatchy powerpop songs first and foremost, and really good ones at that.” - Brooklyn Vegan
“‘Weird Nightmare’ is Alex Edkins giving us an access all areas pass to his creative process. It’s an invite no-one should decline.” - Northern Transmissions
“Weird Nightmare isn’t something that will have listeners running away or falling asleep. Edkins’s 10-song tracklist is a fun, energetic and zany concoction of sounds and textures that recall his main band while simultaneously taking things in fresh directions.” - Exclaim!
“If having fun and being free was what Edkins most wanted to come through on the recording of Weird Nightmare, he undoubtedly achieved it on his delightfully distorted and warped debut solo album.” - Exclaim!
“On the 10 tracks that comprise the project’s self-titled Sub Pop debut, Edkins revels in magnetic hooks and brighter, sunny melodies, exploring explicitly an aspect of his songwriting that had previously been mostly implicit.” - Treble
“…Weird Nightmare will bring a little noisy sunshine to your day.” - Narc
Today, the unholy union of Weird Nightmare and Ancient Shapes brings you the double A-Side experience of the year! “I Think You Know” w/ “Bird With an Iron Head” delivers two sides of sing-along power-punk you need to hear to believe.
This pairing is now available in physical form on a bright red 7”colored vinyl single. Featuring Weird Nightmare’s “I Think You Know” on side A, and Ancient Shapes’ 3-part suite “Bird With an Iron Head” (+official video), ”Imaginary Agony” and “I’m Against the Wind” on side AA. All four songs are also available digitally on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
Weird Nightmare and Ancient Shapes have a handful of upcoming Canadian release shows for the new single, as covered below. And Weird Nightmare will also be the main support for select Archers of Loaf east coast shows beginning Tuesday, November 29th in Baltimore at Ottobar and ending Friday, December 2nd in Brooklyn at Warsaw. Please find a complete list of Weird Nightmare shows below.
Weird Nightmare/Ancient Shapes
Thu. Nov. 17 - Hamilton, ON - Casbah
Fri. Nov. 18 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace
Sat. Nov. 19 - St. Catherines, ON - Warhorse
Weird Nightmare supporting Archers of Loaf
Tue. Nov. 29 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
Wed. Nov. 30 - Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
Thu. Dec. 01 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
Fri. Dec. 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
Weird Nightmare’s self-titled full-length debut is available now on CD/LP/CS/DSPs from Sub Pop. The LP’s limited Loser Edition on transparent cotton candy swirl vinyl, packaged in a special embossed jacket with semi-transparent obi-strip along the spine, can be purchased from megamart.sub pop.com, select independent retailers in North America, and at Weird Nightmare live shows. In the UK, and in EU, the Loser Edition is available on coke bottle clear vinyl (both while supplies last).
Ancient Shapes was spawned in 2015 as a recording side project of Daniel Romano. Here’s Weird Nightmare’s Alex Edkins on Daniel Romano, “I think Daniel is a real treasure and a severely underappreciated genius. He released 11 albums last year! I’m quite tickled to be sharing a release with him.”
The unholy union of Weird Nightmare and Ancient Shapes brings you the double A-Side experience of the year! “I Think You Know” w/ “Bird With an Iron Head” delivers two sides of sing-along power-punk you need to hear to believe.
The pairing, which will be available in physical form by way of a bright red-colored 7” single on Friday, October 21st, features Weird Nightmare’s “I Think You Know” on side A, and Ancient Shapes’ 3-part suite “Bird With an Iron Head” (+official video), ”Imaginary Agony”, and “I’m Against the Wind” on side AA. All four songs are also available digitally today on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
Weird Nightmare’s Alex Edkins says of the union, “Daniel has been one of my favorite writers/performers for many years now and his work with Ancient Shapes and the Outfit are a constant source of joy. I’m super excited to be sharing this record with him.”
Weird Nightmare released his electrifying, self-titled debut featuring the no nonsense rock n’ roll of “Searching For You,” and the anthemic “Lusitania,” earlier this summer on Sub Pop. The album showcases a new side of Edkins’ already-established songwriting (METZ), with a raw, sugary blast of distorted pop. It exhibits all of his main band’s bite with an unexpected, yet totally satisfying, sweetness. Imagine The Amps covering Big Star, or the gloriously hissy miniature epics of classic-era Guided by Voices combined with the bombast of Copper Blue-era Sugar—just tons of red-line distortion cut with the type of tunecraft that thrills the moment it hits your ears. “I Think You Know” comes from the same intense burst of songwriting that spawned the Weird Nightmare LP and delivers yet another ear-worm of high-energy hooky song craft.
Ancient Shapes was spawned in 2015 as a recording side project of the wondrously prolific and shape-shifting renaissance man, Daniel Romano. Due to the ravenous demand for live performances of these first recordings, Daniel brought on David Nardi, Vee Bell, Roddy Rosetti and Ian Romano to take the songs to the people. The live band has been called “the best band since computers” and also “incredibly good as hell.” The group has since traveled the world over and have released the Ancient Shapes, Silent Rave, and A Flower That Wouldn’t Bloom albums.
Weird Nightmare and Ancient Shapes will play a short run of Canadian shows together beginning November 17th in Hamilton, ON at Casbah and ending November 19th in St Catherines, ON at Warhorse.
Weird Nightmare will also be main support for Archers of Loaf’s east coast shows (select dates) beginning Tuesday, November 29th in Baltimore at Ottobar and ending Friday, December 2nd in Brooklyn at Warsaw. Please find a current list of Weird Nightmare shows below.
Weird Nightmare/Ancient Shapes Thu. Nov. 17 - Hamilton, ON - Casbah Fri. Nov. 18 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace Sat. Nov. 19 - St. Catherines, ON - Warehouse
Weird Nightmare supporting Archers of Loaf Tue. Nov. 29 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar Wed. Nov. 30 - Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts Thu. Dec. 01 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair Fri. Dec. 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
Weird Nightmare is now available on CD/LP/CS/DSPs from Sub Pop. The LP’s limited Loser edition, which is packaged in a special embossed jacket with semi-transparent obi-strip along the spine, can be purchased from megamart.sub pop.com, select independent retailers in North America, and at Weird Nightmare live shows. In the UK, and in EU, the Loser edition is available on clear coke bottle vinyl (both while supplies last).
Hey, guess what? Starting today, you can listen to the excellent self-titled debut from Weird Nightmare in its entirety. Weird Nightmare is, of course, the electrifying new project from METZ guitarist and singer Alex Edkins. This new album features the standout singles, “Lusitania,” “Searching for You”, “Wrecked (feat. Bully), and now “Darkroom”.” You can listen to the full album here.
Weird Nightmare has a clutch of North American shows, including a hometown album release show on May 21st in Toronto, ON at The Baby G. The band will also hit the road on a 7-date co-headlining tour with labelmates Kiwi Jr. Click here for a full list of shows.
What people have been saying about Weird Nightmare:
“…an enjoyable authentic collection of alt. pop emotions that are performed with passion and feeling rather than technical perfection. Weird Nightmare will bring a little noisy sunshine to your day.” - Narc
“‘Wrecked,’ Weird Nightmare’s third and latest single is a driving and ardent guitar pop anthem centered around big hooks, enormous power chords and sweetly, lived-in lyricism.” - [“Wrecked”] Joy of Violent Movement
“…the track comes packed with gritty guitars and dreamy melodies.” - [“Wrecked”] Indie 88
“As the guitars blister and the rhythms explode within this boisterous piece of ’90s-inflicted college-radio rock, the two emphatically tell their friends and loved ones that they won’t leave their sides again, not after what we’ve experienced the past two-plus years.” - [“Wrecked”] The Revue
“All chiming chords and smart harmonies, Wrecked is a boisterous ode to ’90s indie-rock and everything that followed.” - [“Wrecked”] Guitar World
