So often you hear new “pop-punk” bands showing up around every corner. Few and far between last, and or actually embody the nature of what “pop-punk” is. An independent band from Wyoming named Not My Weekend is truly what middle school me needed now that I’m in my 20’s. Led by a face that maybe has popped up on your for you page before, Patrick Gilchrist (lead singer), Nick Hudson (guitarist), Ed Ma (bassist), and Noah Hammontree (drummer) are the members of this super fun band. Patrick’s TikTok has gone viral many times for his hilarious takes on going to shows within the punk/metal/rock community for the first time, or maybe you’ve seen him on tour with Ice Nine Kills as one of stage actors that gets their head ripped off. Personally, the last option is how I met Patrick. I’ve been lucky enough to see Not My Weekend live as well.
In late 2023, Not My Weekend released their first full album titled SHIMMER.SEASON consisting of 10 songs with some heavy hitting special guests such as Kellin Quinn (from Sleeping with Sirens, Brian Butcher (from The Home Team), and Joshua Roberts (from Magnolia Park). The album is a solid mix of angst, love, and pop-rock.
Let’s go back to beginning for a second. Their first social media debut was in 2015 on Facebook which Patrick describes as, “a time where his and friends and him just played some songs together occasionally.” It wasn’t till 2017 that the band started forming on a more official basis which then led to their EP, Yellow. “When You’re Around,” one of their more popular songs came from that EP and led to a couple tours. Sadly, right when they started gaining traction, the world came to a halt. Once everything started resuming, they worked on releasing SHIMMER.SEASON.
Patrick says, “SHIMMER.SEASON means everything to me. I have never worked harder on a set of songs. I’ve never been more proud of songs. I’ve never felt more solidified in our sound and our identity as original band, as a pop-punk band, as a band just in general.”
I asked Patrick is there was a movie that he feels their album would go well in. He said along the lines of an early 2000’s Disney Original movie like Brink or Johnny Tsunami. And you know what, he absolutely nailed it. Those songs would have KILLED in a movie like that. I would like to add in My Date With The President’s Daughter as a contender as well. He joked that maybe he will just make his own movie and put their songs in it, because movies like that just aren’t getting made anymore.
You can follow Not My Weekend on all social media platforms and stream their album SHIMMER.SEASON where you get your music!
