Photos: Frankie Cavone
One Time Weekend have been on the rise over the past couple of years transcending jam music with an edgy feel. These guys are not afraid to be themselves on stage delivering high energy, head banging sets.
The Connecticut based band is about to make their way up to Adirondack Independence Music Festival. These guys are no strangers to the Adirondacks as they have already made an appearance at Memorial Meltdown back in 2023. Since then, the bands presence has grown across the northeast and we can’t wait to have them back up in Lake George, NY. Read our full interview with the band below:
Mirth Films: What are you most excited about returning to ADK Music Fest this year?
One Time Weekend: Seeing some old friends, and some new friends. Plus getting to be a part of something as epic as that lineup. We’re just happy to get the invite.
MF: What have been some of your favorite memories from this summer so far?
OTW: We love playing this tiny festival in PA. They intentionally cap their audience to keep it small, which is pretty cool. Those folks just know how to party out there in the woods. No cell service, everyone is fully locked into the moment. Other than that, we’ve been getting to dig into touring recently. It’s a different challenge every time, but rewarding in so many ways.
MF: Who are some acts that you look up to in the scene?
OTW: Collectively we love lespecial. You don’t see a whole lot of heavier bands in this scene, but they do it well. Dopapod is also an incredible force.
MF: Your cover selection is pretty far out! What are some musical influences you guys have that folks may know about?
OTW: Well, that’s a broad question for us as it likely is for most musicians. A few big ones are: The Beatles, Metallica, RHCP, Jimmy Hendrix, Rush, and the original McLovins lineup.
MF: We have to ask, is there any swifties in the band? And if so what is your favorite era
OTW: Being a real Swiftie comes with a strict vow of silence. We’re in our “Fire It Up” Era.
MF: What are some of the goals you have going forward with the band?
OTW: Release more original music, tour Europe, continue to build our fanbase, perform rocket surgery. Oh, and maybe throw our own festival.
MF: What can fans of the band expect when One Time Weekend does a House Party show?
OTW: Honestly they can expect One Time Weekend! There’s something special about the energy of a good house show, some of our favorite memories were playing to our homies in their backyards. There’s just a certain vibe about it that is hard to recreate. We do offer a few different packages, including a fully acoustic show for more intimate settings all the way to a raging electric show with lights and everything.
MF: What is the hardest part about being a band in 2024?
OTW: Where do we begin? It’s a very oversaturated market online with over 120k new songs being uploaded to Spotify each day (as of 2023). Social media is a whole other can of worms. Touring is as expensive as going on vacation. Profits from ticket sales are often distributed in ways that do not take care of the artist. The list goes on. The economy.
MF: What can fans look forward to musically?
OTW: We have an extensive plan on releasing some new music to the world. We’re hoping to put out some of our older music that never got a chance to have an official release, as well as brand new songs that we haven’t ever played live. We are also focused on honing our live show and taking that to the next level.
MF: How can fans of the band best support what you are doing?
OTW: Honestly, come to shows and buy our merch. Those two things will keep this train going for as long as possible. If you have the funding for it, hire us to come play at your house! We also put out our shows on Bandcamp and Nugs, so purchasing those helps immensely. Share our music with your friends, family, exes.
MF: Since the release of “Fire It Up” in 2023, what elements of the music have changed?
OTW: We’ve started to dive more into the rock/metal influences of the band. At the same time, we’re opening up more of our songs to improvisation during our shows.
MF: What risks are you trying to take live to keep fans coming back?
OTW: I think this ties back into the “jamming” expectation of our scene. We are definitely putting energy into that element of the show, while still staying true to the importance of the song first. We are also continuing the epic “themed shows” concept that started with Masquerade Of Madness last year. Maybe pyrotechnics at ADK Fest….
