About

"Yes meets The Meters." "Stereolab meets Jan Hammer." "Return to Forever meets Devo." "Zappa meets Philip Glass." People inevitably turn to mash-ups like these to describe the Sweater Weather Sound. That's because Sweater Weather is a band that doesn't fit neatly into any musical category. They're not rock, exactly, but they're not jazz, funk, R&B, or pop either. Sweater Weather just sounds like Sweater Weather.

Formed in 2021, this sometimes-four, sometimes-five, and sometimes-six-piece instrumental band blends post-rock experimentation with jazz-fusion artistry and groove-heavy propulsion, with some ’80s-TV whimsy thrown in for good measure.

Onstage, Sweater Weather keeps the performance tight while letting the material breathe. Their sets move between precision and improvisation, giving the musicians room to push ideas, stretch grooves, and test the edges of each tune. You might catch hints of something familiar—some idea or some feeling you recognize from an old record, an old book, an old memory—but the band never stays in one place long enough for you to pin it down. They move forward quickly, following momentum rather than formulas. Best not to overthink it. The music makes its case without words.

Sweater Weather (Michael McCullough, Bass; Alex Dausch, Guitar; Paul-Luc Ronchetti, Drums; Erik Nyquist, Drums; Joel McCullough, Keyboards; Zeve Marcus, Guitar) is based in San Diego. They have shared bills with emerging instrumental and experimental acts across the region, carving out a niche in Southern California’s independent music community.