by Kelley Simms
( Photo : Rudy DeRam )
34 illinoisentertainer . com july 2024
F
or a band , there ’ s nothing like playing a hometown show … and local rockers The Outfit couldn ’ t be any prouder of being a Chicago band .
On Saturday , Aug . 3 , 2024 , the band — featuring brothers Mark ( drums ) and Matt Nawara ( guitar ), Mike Gorman ( bass ), and Andy Mitchell ( vocals / guitar )— will be showcasing their brand of Cheap Trickinfused rock at The Odd Fellows Rock the Fox Music Fest in Carpentersville . It ’ s a free show in Carpenter Park featuring several local bands on the bill . “ It ’ s good to be a Chicago band ,” drummer Mark Nawara exclaims at the beginning of a recent phone interview . “ We ’ re doing a full hour and 20 minutes , so we ' ll be able to play songs from each album and really showcase our whole catalog . ( We ’ ll be playing ) a good number of songs from the first album , a lot of songs from Viking and then obviously songs from the new album Go . We ' re just trying to get out there as much as we can .”
The Outfit ’ s catalog contains infectious tracks that you can dance to … or just stand there and enthusiastically nod your head to . Although the band ’ s influences are obvious , their musical framework goes deeper than that . Born of ’ 70s rock mixed with ’ 80s glam rock ( hair metal ), ’ 90s grunge / alt-esque influences — even prog rock and classic rock elements such as Santana — are thrown in for good measure . The Outfit combines an eclectic amalgam of everything that ’ s great about rock and roll music .
The Outfit released its debut self-titled full-length album in February 2018 , with
The Outfit
Get Up & Go !
lead-off single “ Soldier Boy ” reaching No . 34 on Billboard ’ s Mainstream Rock Radio Chart . The band ’ s second album , 2020 ’ s Viking , cracked The Billboard Mainstream Rock Indicator chart at No . 24 , while its third full-length album , Go ( released on April 19 , 2024 ), further strengthens the band ’ s sound . “ In 2018 , we were just finding ourselves of what we wanted to do ,” Nawara staes . “ My brother and I obviously are influenced by the Cheap Trick sound and more of an aggressive hard rock / pop sound . I think we ' ve matured a little bit more and our songwriting has gotten a little bit more edgier . We found what we ' re looking to do , and I think Go comes across that way as a more maturesounding record .”
Chicago veteran sound engineer Matt Mercado of Sonic Palace Music studio once again returns for this release , as he ’ s manned the controls for all three of the band ’ s albums . Grammy-nominated , multi-platinum producer and mixer Ulrich Wild ( Pantera , Static-X , White Zombie , Deftones ) also makes a return visit . “ We ’ ve been working with the same team now on all three albums ,” Nawara explains . “ I always knew Matt was great , from being a local guy and having his own band . He ’ s just got a great ear . After I heard all the stuff he ' s worked on , I chose him because his clarity and his sounds are so good . He also helps out in the creative role . So we go to ( Sonic Palace ), and we track with Matt , and he keeps us on our game .”
The Outfit ’ s live trajectory has steadily increased since playing its first show in
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