Review: Weatherday @ Arts at the Armory 3/19

Review by James Klein

Just hours after releasing their second album, Swedish band Weatherday delivered a passionate and electric set on Wednesday at Arts at the Armory in Somerville, Mass. Weatherday has pioneered a lo-fi emo sound that has influenced countless acts, including Parannoul, BrokenTeeth, and Asian Glow. Despite their underground acclaim and influence, the band has maintained a distinct DIY ethos, which was evident from the moment fans arrived at the venue.

Arts at the Armory is an unassuming, solid-white historic armory nestled in a Somerville neighborhood. Early arrivals found themselves double-checking the location, as the venue looked more like a community center than a concert hall. Bulletin boards were littered with flyers for local events, and Gen-X patrons of the café inside the venue seemed confused by the growing Gen-Z crowd. As this crowd grew, the armory doors opened, revealing the three bands, godf*ck, Combat, and Weatherday, carrying in their gear and introducing themselves to the staff. About 400 fans crowded the small hallway and sidewalk until 7:25 p.m., when the doors opened to reveal the cavernous, purple-lit venue, with merch tables on either side of the stage and a bar at the back. The crowd stirred, not only for Weatherday but for the two opening acts as well.

Amherst-based electronic screamo band godf*ck kicked off the night with an explosive and interactive set, immediately urging the crowd to form a mosh pit. The audience responded with enthusiastic running, kicking, and punching, feeding into the raw energy of the performance. Halfway through, the band revealed that they had been in a car accident earlier that day but refused to let it derail their show. Closing the set with their song “End of Everything,” fans screamed the lyrics as the moshing intensified. Following them, Baltimore indie-punk band Combat maintained the high energy with a lively and irreverent set. Drummer Isabella DeVarona realized she didn’t have drumsticks and had to ask the crowd for a spare pair. After borrowing some from godf*ck, she delivered a standout performance that propelled the band’s punk rock energy.

By the time Weatherday took the stage at 9:15 p.m., the anticipation was palpable. The band spent 20 minutes setting up, embodying the DIY aesthetic as they ran on and off the stage adjusting their equipment. The bassist entertained the crowd by playing the basslines from “Money” by Pink Floyd and “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, laughing with the audience. The guitarist followed suit, playing the classic surf rock riff from “Miserlou” by Dick Dale & His Del-Tones. Finally, Sputnik, the enigmatic force behind Weatherday, announced, “Yeah, so we’re good to go.”

Dressed in pigtails tucked under a black hat, with their signature pink circles painted on their cheeks, Sputnik greeted the audience with a quiet but warm “Hi everyone! How are you doing? We’re gonna perform some songs for you.” The crowd roared. The band almost launched into the first song before Sputnik casually added, “Oh yeah, my new album dropped today.” The drummer, wearing only a white sleeveless shirt and short shorts, counted in the track “Meanie.” Despite being less than a day old, the song was met with immediate recognition, as fans passionately sang along. The band erupted into quick riffs and bopped their heads. Sputnik, always understated, followed the song with a simple “Thank you,” before kneeling to retie their shoe and adjust the sound levels with the engineers.

Once the technical difficulties were resolved, Sputnik flipped the mic and announced, “Okay, we’re gonna do another song,” launching into the album’s lead single, “Angel.” The crowd erupted, chanting the lyrics, a testament to Weatherday’s dedicated cult following. The bassist bounced around the stage, energetically playing the song’s driving bassline. Afterward, Sputnik joked, “That was song two, not by Blur, sorry… What’s next, ‘Blanket’?” The bassist hesitated, replying, “I don’t think so,” before the band started playing it anyway. The guitarist, wearing a Kirby hat and a shirt that says “I HEART MY HOT GIRLFRIEND,” plucked intricate melodies while Sputnik half-sang, half-screamed the track’s numbing lyrics.

Midway through the set, Sputnik announced, “The next song is from ‘Come In,’” before noting that it shared the same key as the previous track for the music nerds in the audience. They played “Older Than Before (Oswald Made No Way for Himself),” a dynamic piece that showcased Sputnik’s vocal and instrumental range, as the overhead lights pulsated between deep purple and red, amplifying the intensity. As the song ended, the crowd erupted in cheers, but Sputnik announced “My bottom string snapped,” leading to moans from the audience. Combat’s guitarist yelled “I got you” from backstage. To kill time, the drummer broke into a jazz shuffle as Sputnik joked, “Has anyone seen ‘The Incredibles’?” The rest of the band joined in, improvising a jazzy superhero theme. Sputnik, laughing at their bandmates, finally adjusted their new guitar and broke into a solo that led into another new song, “Radar Ballet.” This electric song is underscored by the drummer’s performance, breaking off parts of the cymbal with each crash. 

One highlight was during “Ripped Apart by Hands,” where Sputnik’s voice floated under layered vocal effects, culminating in raw, full-throated screams. As the set neared its end, they promised to wrap up with “a couple of bangers,” launching into high-energy performances of “Come In” and “Tiara.” Though released five years apart, the songs shared Weatherday’s signature drowned-out vocals and epic guitar riffs. Before leaving the stage to go to the merch booth, Sputnik expressed their gratitude: “Thank you for singing along while my voice kinda gave.” 

Weatherday delivered exactly what fans wanted: atmospheric yet electrifying music, intricate melodies, and a sense of humor and humility that made the show feel intimate despite the band’s influence. The DIY spirit was alive and well, proving that even with internet success, Weatherday remains true to its roots.