“I basically grew up in the First Unitarian Church basement,” says Evan Weiss, best known as the man behind Into It. Over It., whose Pet Symmetry – which also features Ratboys’ Marcus Nuccio and Dowsing’s Erik Czaja – are gearing up to release their fourth full-length, Big Symmetry, May 2nd via Weiss’ own Storm Chasers LTD and Asian Man Records. The power-pop trio are based in Chicago but, prior to his move to the Midwest, Weiss grew up in Cherry Hill, becoming a mainstay of the local scene and playing in The Progress from 2000-2008: “My first R5 show was at The Church in 2001, and all of those people that are now in Rid Of Me and Creepoid and all of those bands were all friends of mine… I’ll still fly back when they have reunions there, like I was just there [this February] for the Frail reunion and I was there for the Orchid reunion.”
Last November Pet Symmetry released [what would later be revealed to be] the second single from Big Symmetry, “Big Steve,” a loving ode to producer, sound engineer, local legend, and longtime friend of Weiss, Steve Poponi, who tragically and unexpectedly passed in 2022. During a recent phone chat, Weiss tells me that Poponi’s family and friends have provided the most meaningful reactions Pet Symmetry’s new music has gotten so far, but he also lets me know that the music of Big Symmetry dates back to even before that tragedy: “We’ve been working on this record since 2021. We did the drums six months before Future Suits came out.”
In early 2021 Pet Symmetry were planning a touring cycle for Future Suits, their third full-length, which would go on to drop that August, but when COVID put that idea on hold the three decided to head to a cabin in the woods of Makanda, Illinois to get right to work on the follow-up. “I think it’s the most focused Pet Symmetry record. It feels very direct and very intentional,” Weiss tells me of the album produced by that trip (literally and figuratively, as I understand there were some psychedelics involved).
While Pet Symmetry, who have been releasing music since 2013, have become best known for emo angst (Weiss refers to Future Suits as their “pandemic record,” inspired largely by feelings of “existential dread.”), Big Symmetry sees their narratives and sentiments (although not sounds) going in a very different direction: “It’s a full album of love songs, which I’ve never done with any project I’ve ever had, and it was a significant challenge [laughs]. It’s a challenge to write love songs that feel sincere without sounding cheesy.”
Tonight, Pet Symmetry kick off their first major tour in quite some time (They have had a few brief runs in recent years, the last of which included a May 2023 show at the Ukie Club.), which will have them headlining Johnny Brenda’s on May 13th (where they’ll be joined by our phriends PONY and Storm Chasers LTD artist Jimmy Montague ), and Weiss tells me that the band are planning on making up for lost time: “We’re definitely ramping it up, because of the bigness of the album and because it’s the first time we’re doing a really big production tour in a minute.” I ask what can be expected of the live experience and Weiss says, “I would generally say to expect the unexpected,” before going on to tell me, “Every single tour we ever do is always different, always a good time, always lots of audience participation… That’s what we hope audiences get out of a Pet Symmetry show: smile for a few hours and have a good time.”
Evan Weiss has done a lot of touring over the years, albeit primarily with Into It. Over It., who have played well over a dozen shows in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection in the past decade and a half (and are currently working on a new record), so I’m curious to hear some of his favorite things about being on the road, in addition to playing the shows themselves, and he tells me that it’s actually a bit complicated.
“It all depends on the band, but when it comes to Pet Symmetry, it’s just how much we are laughing the whole time… I would’ve had a different answer when I was 25, but I’m 40 now, and we’re older now. We have professional careers other than music, we’re not depending on touring to support ourselves… When we go out, I’m just excited to relax and let loose more and enjoy each other’s company getting out, exploring, being with my buds.”
*Get your tickets here.
