Weekend to showcase new album tonight at the Bishop

Originally from San Francisco, alternative band Weekend has a machine-like drumming ability, a reverb-drenched guitar noise and murky vocals.
 
Weekend, a musical trio, will perform a type of music known as shoegaze at 9:30 p.m. today at the Bishop.

A form of alternative rock, shoegaze uses reverb guitar effects and indistinguishable vocal melodies that blend into the noise of the guitars.

Weekend is coming to Bloomington to promote their second album, “Jinx,” which was released in 2013.

Lead vocalist Shaun Durkan met lead guitarist Kevin Johnson at the age of 12 as bassists in their middle school band.

They met the third member and drummer, Abe Pedroza, when they became roommates with him while attending the San Francisco Art Institute.
 
Their love for obscure music brought them together, according to the press release.

Weekend officially formed in 2009 and signed with Slumberland Records, releasing their full-length debut “Sports” in 2010.

Since then, they have released two EPs and one full-length album.

Durkan said the band draws from a variety of musical influences.

“Ever since my father exposed me to them when I was younger, I have always been musically influenced by Killing Joke and the Cure,” Durkan said. “We are also highly inspired by music from My Bloody Valentine.

“Our new album is a departure from that, though,” Durkan said. “‘Jinx’ was produced by Monte Vallier and features a sound with a gloomy post-punk to the mix.”

The band spent most of 2012 writing, recording and mixing the 10 songs featured on “Jinx.”

“Despite the familiar time lapse of the recording and mixing process, I will say that recording this album had to be one of the most trying — though rewarding — experience so far,” Durkan said.

The Bishop is a bar and a venue with a stage to allow artists to book their own private events or concerts.

“I was approached by their agent, and when I first listened to their album, I became a big fan,” said Dan Coleman, promoter and talent buyer at the Bishop. “Slumberland has a great track record with the wide variety of rock and alternative acts that they record, so we were definitely interested.

“The Bishop has long been a place to catch locals and national acts on the rise, so it was a no-brainer to welcome them to Bloomington.”

Follow reporter Anthony Broderick on Twitter @aebrodakirck.