Four-piece indie rock band The Wrecks are set to release INSIDE :, the first half of their upcoming album, on April 11. Nick Anderson, lead singer and frontman of the band, joined The Concert Chronicles and 1824 for an exclusive press conference where he pulled back the curtain on the group’s creative process, inspirations, and upcoming tour.
Anderson found himself in a creative rut after releasing their last album, Sonder, in 2022. Despite this feeling, he still had an innate drive to create, and he pushed himself to keep making new things until he found something that reignited his spark. “I was getting into all of these artists that I felt had really interesting points of view in perspective that I suddenly didn’t think that mine was all that interesting, but I still had that need to create,” he shared. His motivation came from the fulfillment of successfully articulating his vision. It’s as if he is “getting away with something. That feeling of ‘There’s no way these are my ideas.’”
Despite living in the bustling city of LA, the band has a clear mission of authenticity and staying true to the settings that best support their recording process. “I actually forget that I live in LA often because I don’t participate…it’s always been a homegrown process,” shared Anderson. The band’s ability to craft intimate yet sonically rich tracks in places like their bedrooms is a sign of the times, where professional music can be made anywhere; think Billie Eilish and Finneas.
Anderson is equally unfazed by the imposed expectations of music, with concepts like genres not crossing his mind. He stated, “It doesn’t really occur to me much.” Instead of constricting himself to defined sounds, he finds “the challenge of making a style of song or something that I’ve never done before” part of the thrill. He compared his process of cracking production puzzles to the love some have for video games.
He demonstrated deep gratitude for how fans form connections with his work and revealed that it can only happen when he creates honest work from a personal place. If he tried to predict what would land or cater to the listener, he “would almost write something generic or too overreaching or too accessible.”
Anderson had clear visions for the visuals of their electric singles, with the stunning music video for “Speed” tying into the overarching themes of the project like isolation and mental health. To Anderson, “INSIDE : is about being locked away for so long where the outside world eventually starts growing in through the cracks of the walls because mother nature is trying to set the score even.” The video is set inside his room full of mystical lighting and foliage, perfectly conveying this fever dream. Hearing the words, “You can spend so much time indoors that it feels like foliage literally starts creeping in through,” put the music video into further context. He joked about how his loved ones advised him to go outside and how he “got some vitamin D supplements and kept working on the record.”
It is clear INSIDE : is a profoundly vulnerable project for Anderson. During the press conference, he spent time gushing over fellow band members Aaron Kelley, Nick Schmidt, and Billy Nally’s willingness to commit to the vision. He appreciates how they dedicate themselves to “indulging and jumping into the whole thing head first. It’s so rare to find people who are down in that way.”
The group is about to embark on an extensive tour, meaning many new fan memories are only weeks away. When asked about a moment that stands out to him, Anderson recalled “The time we officiated a wedding during VIP, that was pretty gnarly.” Even with extravagant fan experiences like a wedding with wrecks-themed vows, he’s most excited for the sleep. He believes there’s something about “just being in my bunk from 1:00 am to 4:00 pm, sleeping a gross amount of hours and resetting my brain and just getting the sleep I need, it’s gonna be awesome.” In all seriousness, “the other guys are excited about seeing friends in different cities again and visiting local shops that we’ve come to love, and seeing fans in certain regions that we see every time.”
Anderson gave us an inside look at what concertgoers can expect from their live shows, further underscoring how important involving their fans in the experience is, “We had a setlist debate with our discord community…they made arguments for some, and it was pretty brutal and pretty awesome.” Adapting is a key part of the process, with the band open for feedback by changing the set list “throughout the tour until it feels right with the crowd.”
In his experience, highlighting the music should be the focus of live shows. “We’re able to keep it pretty loose in that regard by not going too big on the production and I also feel more present when there’s less production on stage. When I’m watching a band…[and] all the lights are behind them, and they’re silhouettes, I can’t even connect with you. I can’t see you,” he shared.
The press conference ended with an exclusive stream of their next single, “I Didn’t Use To.” We can’t say much, but we can tell you that you’ll love it. The Wrecks embark on the INSIDE : OUTSIDE 2025 TOUR on April 18. Find out below if they are coming to a city near you. Buy tickets here.
April 18 – The UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA
April 20 – Aladdin Theater – Portland, OR
April 22 – Hollywood Theater – Vancouver, BC
April 23 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA
April 25 – Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
April 26 – The Grand – Salt Lake City, UT
April 27 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO
April 29 – The Truman – Kansas City, MO
April 30 – The Hawthorn – Saint Louis, MO
May 1 – First Ave – Minneapolis, MN
May 3 – Majestic Theater – Madison, WI
May 4 – Concord Music Hall – Chicago, IL
May 6 – Globe Iron – Cleveland, OH
May 7 – Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH
May 8 – St. Andrews – Detroit, MI
May 10 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON
May 11 – Bar Le Ritz PDB – Montreal, QC
May 12 – Royale – Boston, MA
May 14 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY
May 16 – Theatre of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA
May 17 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
May 19 – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
May 20 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
May 22 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
May 23 – House of Blues – Houston, TX
May 24 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
May 25 – Echo Lounge – Dallas, TX
May 27 – Meow Wolf – Santa Fe, NM
May 28 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
May 30 – House of Blues – San Diego, CA
May 31 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
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