Bio

Engine Summer is an up-and-coming (edit: veteran) band in Chicago’s indie scene. Formed by high school buds in 2016 who shared the same vision/delusion that playing in as many different basements as possible across the country was a good aspiration on which to base one’s life. Since then, some highlights have included:

• Headlining Anchr Magazine’s 3rd Anniversary show

• A Daytrotter session

• Getting bed bugs in New Jersey

• Tied for 40th best album of the 2010s, according to Chicago Reader

• Multiple trips to South Dakota

• Stripping at Binny’s

• A short-lived web series called Malört Time

• Dimo’s freaking pizza.

Musically they have been described as post-punk, swamp rock, or “slacker art punk” (though both ‘slacker’ and ‘art’ seem a bit unfair.) They hold an unspoken agreement that rock’s platonic ideal came in the form of John Fogerty circa 1969, and that mid-tempo krautrock jams are a more powerful dissociate than DMT. Over the years the mix has gotten soapier with a squarewave-through-fuzz pedal becoming a primary instrument. But the cardinal rule has remained the same: Drink moosehead and make music that’s fun to jam IRL.

Engine Summer’s core lineup includes Jeremy Marsan (of the youtube channel Bandsplaining), Ryan Ohm (of Weird Life Films) and Ben Kostecki (of McAuley School District No. 27). Since 2021, they’ve also been joined by Kaz Chevas who has taken over keys, sampler and hand percussion.

MAXIMUM SHPBAG WEEKEND is their latest release from December 2023.

Releases