Almost every band that’s worth a damn has had a member, who at some point worked in a record store. With JOVM mainstay acts METZ and Weird Nightmare, it was frontman and creative mastermind Alex Edkins. Slinging indie rock and hardcore records at 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, Edkins’ sophomore Weird Nightmare album, which is slated for a May 1, 2026 release through Sub Pop globally and Dine Alone Records in Canada, reportedly sees the JOVM mainstay mixing and matching these wide-ranging influences in fun, exhilarating combinations, showcasing his sophisticated musical mind, while continuing to showcase his unerring knack for ridiculously catchy and rousingly anthemic hooks and choruses.
Co-produced by Edkins and Spoon‘s Jim Eno at Providence‘s world famous Machines With Magnets, Hoopla also sees the acclaimed Canadian artist expanding upon Weird Nightmare’s musical palette with the addition of piano, bells and castanets, which give his long-held straightforward songwriting a shiny luster.
The album will feature the previously released “Forever Elsewhere,” and the Cheap Trick-like “Might See You There.”
Hoopla‘s third and latest single “Pay No Mind” is a punchy, downright punk rock-like take on power pop, anchored around Edkins’ unerring knack for ridiculously catchy hooks and big riffs paired with what may arguably be his most socially aware, thoughtful lyrics of his growing catalog.
“We had a blast making this video with director Ryan Faist,” the Weird Nightmare creative mastermind says,. “It was a nod to the Elvis Costello and the Attractions ‘Pump it Up‘ video and some early footage of the Buzzcocks on cable access TV.
“The lyric was lifted from an Atlantic City tourism t-shirt. ‘I’m so broke, I can’t even pay attention‘ struck me as a particularly accurate comment on modern life. Obviously, the shirt is meant to be funny, but it felt quite dark to me. Due to the overwhelming onslaught of information and emotional baggage that comes with it, I think there is a tendency for people’s lives to become quite myopic. As a coping mechanism, we become more and more insular, ignoring the world around us.”
Along with the forthcoming release of Weird Nightmare’s sophomore album, Edkins and company will be embarking on a lengthy international tour that includes North American, UK and European Union headlining dates. The tour includes a June 27, 2026 stop at Union Pool. The tour includes a set at the inaugural Soundscape NW Festival in Portland, OR. Check out the tour dates below. Additional dates will be announced soon.
Tour Dates
Fri. Apr. 24 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
Sat. Apr. 25 – Los Angeles, CA – Gold Diggers ^
Sun. Apr. 26 – Oakland, CA – Thee Stork Club ^
Tue. Apr. 28 – Portland, OR – Soundscape NW Festival *
Wed. Apr. 29 – Seattle, WA – Baba Yaga
Fri. May 01 – Toronto, ON – Sonic Boom in-store
Sun. May 03 – Brantford, ON – zBTFD in-store
Tue. May 12 – Kingston, ON – Broom Factory
Wed. May 13 – Montreal, PQ – Bar le Ritz
Sat. May 16 – Halifax, NS – Marquee Ballroom #
Wed. Jun. 17 – London, ON – London Music Hall #
Thu. Jun. 18 – Hamilton, ON – Bridgeworks #
Fri. Jun. 19 – Toronto, ON – Masonic Temple #
Sat. Jun. 20 – Ottawa, ON – The Bronson #
Wed. Jun. 24 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall
Thu. Jun. 25 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd
Fri. Jun. 26 – Philadelphia, PA – Ortlieb’s
Sat. Jun. 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool
Sun. Jun. 28 – Medford, MA – Deep Cuts
Fri. Aug. 28 – Malaga, ES – Canela Party Festival
Wed. Sep. 2 – Glasgow, UK – Hug & Pint
Thu. Sep. 3 – Birmingham, UK – Hare & Hounds
Sat. Sep. 5 – London, UK – The Lexington
Sun. Sep. 6 – Rotterdam, NL – Rotown
Tue. Sep. 8 – Berlin, DE – Urban Spree
Wed. Sep. 9 – Koln, DE – Bumann
Thu. Sep. 10 – Paris, FR – Point Ephemere
Fri. Sep. 11 – Lille, FR- Aeronef
Sun. Sep. 13 Asten, NL – Misty Fields Festival
* with Bully
^ with Mrs. Magician
# with Wintersleep
___
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