When the sun comes up, the smell of coffee fills the kitchen, and the first notes of Pet Symmetry’s new track “Big Wish” drift through the air, you just want to grab the keys to a convertible and hit the open road. It’s the kind of morning energy that feels almost too good to be real.
“Big Wish” is the latest single from their upcoming album Big Symmetry, out May 2 via Asian Man Records / Storm Chasers LTD. — and today, from the 12 songs lined up, we already have access to five, lighting up the day like a spark.
Pet Symmetry — the Chicago-based trio of Evan Weiss (Into It. Over It.), Marcus Nuccio (Ratboys), and Erik Czaja (Dowsing) — have always built their world around huge, explosive power-pop anthems. What started in 2013 as an excuse to just goof off turned into something real almost by accident, fueled by lighthearted ideas that stood in stark contrast to their other, often heavier full-time projects.
Big Symmetry was born during a very different kind of downtime. In early 2021, while the world stumbled through trying to live with COVID-19 and their plans to tour behind Future Suits got scrapped, Pet Symmetry did what they do best — turned a setback into an opportunity.
They loaded up their gear, booked a remote cabin in snowy Makanda, IL, and dove headfirst into a new creative process: “Just the boys, some psychedelics, a whole lot of snow, a deck of cards, and a t-shirt prank.”
If there’s a connection between the music and visuals this time, it’s no accident.
“When we decided to name this album Big Symmetry, I visualized the album art right away,” the band tells us. “Initially, we were interested in painting a huge mural that read ‘BIG’ on the side of a building, and staging a photo shoot in front of that, but getting a gigantic banner proved easier and more cost-effective. Plus it allowed us to double its usage on stage behind us every night on tour.”
The spirit of Big Symmetry runs deeper than the loud hooks and tongue-in-cheek sarcasm Pet Symmetry fans might expect. It’s still the same band that makes you wonder if they even know what a healthy relationship looks like — but this time around, the emotional rollercoaster has been traded for a love letter to everything they actually care about: from big milestones to everyday moments, even to inanimate objects.
Looking ahead, Pet Symmetry have a full national tour booked across May and June, and hopes to travel more abroad later in 2025. “Our hope for the project is definitely to reach our fan’s ears, old and new, and to spread a message of love and positivity,” they say.
The Chicago alternative and underground scene shaped Pet Symmetry in more ways than one.
“All three of us met going to shows in the Chicago DIY scene in about 2008. Our other bands (INTO IT. OVER IT. and DOWSING) got our start touring the US and EU/UK via DIY venues and promoters, and we’ve retained many of those relationships through today,” they explain. “I think any DIY scene is constantly evolving and mutating as new blood joins, and older folks like us begin to maybe age out of it a little bit. Chicago seems to still have a very healthy and vital DIY scene happening in homes and art spaces.”
And if you’re digging into what’s happening around them, the band isn’t shy about shouting out their own: “Gotta rep our own label STORM CHASERS LTD. We put out a record every month and run a vinyl subscription via Patreon where members receive records every month! Also must shout out SOOPER RECORDS and all of the amazing music they put out. Also shout out to RED ROOM here in Chicago — an exceptionally rad performance/art space.”
With Big Symmetry already flashing its early light through singles like “Big Engagement,” “Big Steve,” and now “Big Wish,” it’s shaping up to be exactly what Pet Symmetry promised: a record that sounds like joy in motion.
Pet Symmetry Tour Dates
Fri. May 9 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village !
Sat. May 10 – Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary !
Sun. May 11 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahalls !
Tue. May 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s !
Wed. May 14 – Brooklyn, NY @ Racket !
Thu. May 15 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall !
Fri. May 16 – Montreal, QC @ Pouzza Festival
Sat. May 17 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dee’s !
Mon. May 19 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall !
Tue. May 20 – Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse !
Thu. May 22 – Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle Back Room !
Fri. May 23 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl !
Sat. May 24 – Nashville, TN @ Drk Mttr !
Thu. June 5 – San Diego, CA @ Voodoo Room $
Fri. June 6 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo $
Sat. June 7 – Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman $
Mon. June 9 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lous $
Tue. June 10 – Portland, OR @ Mission Ballroom $
! w/ Pony & Jimmy Montague
$ w/ Phony & Diners
