After releasing two new songs—“In the Dust” and “California”— filled with the duo’s hauntingly synth-centric sounds on April 21, Weeknight has cemented the status it has attained throughout the last three years. Andy Simmons’ smooth guitar combined with Holly MacGibbon’s synths puts Weeknight’s music in its dark haze. 

Without taking a moment to breathe post-tour, the couple plans to delve back into recording and working on its new album. 

The New York duo kicked off its spring tour at Bennington College in Vermont on April 24 and stopped in Chicago on April 29 at The Owl, 2521 N. Milwaukee Ave. 

Before starting Weeknight, the two felt cramped in their previous bands and wanted to find a better way to flaunt their creativity. Now that Simmons and MacGibbon have an album under their belt and released two new songs teasing another album, they both said their work as a band expresses the musical sound they have long wanted to achieve as musicians. 

The Chronicle spoke with Simmons and MacGibbon about the duo’s ‘60s sound, their expectations and meeting Dave Foley.

THE CHRONICLE: How did you form the band?

HOLLY MACGIBBON: Before we even did music at all, we were a couple. We played in other bands together and didn’t work as well with others as we wanted. It wasn’t feeling like we thought it should feel. We got electronics on our own and we started making beats ourselves and forming our sound just the two of us. It felt like it was something that was exactly how we thought our songs should feel. It felt right. 

CC: What has influenced your sound?

ANDY SIMMONS: I’ve always been really into old country music and ‘60s girl groups—things with a lot of harmony and strong melodies. Those old country songs always have that really beautiful pedaled feel, and I don’t play one of those but I really enjoy the reverb and dreamlike tone—I try to carry that over on guitar. We always sing together, too, so there’s a lot of those girl group type of harmonies in [our music], but we’re obviously not a girl group completely. 

CC: Has your success as a band so far aligned with your expectations?

HM: I think it’s really nice to be able to have the venues and clubs put things online that allow people to actually see our videos and hear our music. As far as exact expectations, I don’t think we necessarily had any. The more people that can hear our music [the better]. It feels nice to share things you’re creating.

CC: How has your music been received?

AS: I think our fans like it a lot. Every night when we play in a new city, we grab a couple people who’ve never heard us before. It seems like they’re genuinely into what we’re doing, so that feels nice.  

CC: Have there been any exciting moments on tour?

HM: We just met Dave Foley in Toronto. He was actually at our show. 

AS: I was trying not to fan boy out over “Kids in the Hall”—it was really hard. I don’t think he drinks anymore, so I couldn’t even buy him a drink [and] I was feeling nerdy and weird. He liked [our music] he heard beforehand, but he had to leave before our show. We did get to hang with him the whole night and I was pretty stoked on that. 

CC: Vice’s music channel, Noisey, just premiered your new music video for “In the Dust.” How did that happen?

AS: They streamed our [last] record and our [new] video. We have a bit of a relationship with them. I was going to be really upset if we sent them over the video, and they [said], “Nah, not this time, guys.” Fortunately that didn’t happen. 

CC: What does Weeknight’s future hold? 

AS: After this tour, we’re just going to hole up in our studio again, keep working on material and see what happens. I imagine we can’t not make any music, so there’ll be a record in the future.