Meet Deadbeat Daycare A Dynamic Band Based In Chicago

Picture this. You’re in high school sitting at the lunch table with your best friend and contemplating what a great idea playing music together would be. So, you start the band and realize that you need a drummer and a name. You find the drummer. You decide on a name that is unlike any other. You start writing music in one member’s garage and realize that you need a bass player to round things out. You find a seasoned bass player who is a fit, and suddenly it all makes sense. That’s the story. I am just the messenger. That’s Deadbeat Daycare’s story and they’re not only sticking to it, but they’re ready to rock your world as they start to ramp up their live shows, hitting as many local venues as they can this summer. Most recently, they performed at the notable Brudder's Bar and Burlington Bar in Chicago. The band is ready to kick it into high gear since they are all now finished with college.

Formed on the outskirts of Chicago, Deadbeat Daycare is four parts equal to one sum. Their manic energy, catchy tunes, and power punk sensibilities are what makes this four-piece unit one of the tightest bands around, as their live show is a testament to their desire to give 500% to their audience. Featuring Joaquin on vocals and rhythm guitar, Ethan on lead guitar, Bobby on drums, and Dan on bass, the band is firmly planted in a genre-less existence which doesn't give audiences the opportunity to pigeonhole their unique sound.

Deadbeat Daycare started writing songs in mid-2019 such as “Shut Me Up” and “The Fight”. They continued to write and practice all of 2019 and the start of 2020 until Covid hit. But when the second quarantine was lifted, they went right back into writing and playing and even recorded their first single. The following summer they began working on their debut EP, “The Amateur Hour” which was released in April of 2022. Aside from thier creative songwriting, Joaquin has a background in film which allows the band to have incredible videos to accompany the release. This is the case for "Red Dress" this single was released in December of 2023 and was followed by a music video exploring the "wild wild (mid)west."

Influences are many for each member of Deadbeat Daycare, which is one of the many reasons the band veers off the beaten path from many of its contemporaries when it comes to songwriting. Instead of relying on one or two people in the band to create, which they did in the beginning stages, it’s now a shared responsibility which allows the band to build their arsenal of songs at a more rapid pace. As the band states, “Songwriting has always been a mix of a split responsibility and solo. Often times Ethan or Joaquin will write a chord progression and lyrics, and bring it to the band where Bobby provides a beat, Ethan provides lead ideas, and Dan writes a bass line. More recently Bobby and Dan have been bringing lyrics and riffs to the table for the band to create a song around.”

The songwriting isn't the only part of the band that is unique, all the members of Deadbeat Daycare make sure to stay true to who they are as individuals. They dont try to fit in with other bands or even with each other. While they recognize that a band should be a unit, they also know how important it is to be authentic, which is just another reason why Deadbeat Daycare is one of the tightest bands around!