Draft Week

Many bands who claim to wave rock’s gnarly, pedal-to-the-metal flag forget the intricacies and innovation that go along with it. True: Sometimes a great rock and roll song can be just four chords, but rearrange them all you like and they can only get you so far. What’s refreshing about Draft Week’s style is that they incorporate rich dynamics and throw a wrench in atypical song structures, while still remembering to keep things consistently hooky with fervent energy and back-alley cool. Though Kevin McNamara (vocals, guitar), Mike Zevin (bass, keys, back-up vox), Mikey Plahm (drums) and Chad De Leon (lead guitar) all performed in rival bands in high school, they eventually started Draft Week together in 2009, during their college days. Through two national tours and four self-released EP’s, the band has racked up prized opening slots for the likes of Fuel, Taking Back Sunday, Lucky Boys Confusion, AM Taxi, Empires, the Ataris, Sister Hazel, and Motion City Soundtrack. Locally, they’ve played some of Chicago’s most renowned venues (Metro, Congress Theater, House of Blues) as they continue to build a solid fan-base throughout the second city. Chicago's Draft Week blends alternative rock with classic rock and blues influences. 2009-2017