A low-angle, full-body outdoor shot of the six members of the band Ax and the Hatchetmen standing on a brick pathway. The group is positioned in front of lush, tall green hedges and some flowering plants under a cloudy sky. The members are wearing casual, individualistic clothing. From left to right: a man in a red and black plaid shirt over a white tee; a man in a light grey striped cardigan over a white shirt; a man in a white dress shirt with a black tie and black pants; the central figure, a tall man in a light blue short-sleeved button-up shirt and dark wide-leg jeans, striking a confident pose; a man in a black t-shirt and light wash jeans; and a man in a brown suede vest and matching trousers with a prominent mustache and curly hair.Ax and The Hatchetmen Credit: Harry Bearows

Now that everyone has graduated college, Ax and the Hatchetmen is living up to the name of its newly-released debut album So Much To Tell You.

The Chicago-based indie-alt pop band’s easy-going sound continues to evolve on it, and the boys even took to the Weezerverse for support on the record. “Lucy” and “7×9” were both built on the foundation of Rivers Cuomo-penned home demos, which appear on editions of his massive “Alone” collection. And in the control room was Jake Sinclair, who has provided production contributions to the likes of Taylor Swift, Panic! At The Disco, and Fall Out Boy.

Before winding down the band’s first-ever headlining tour at Crowbar in Ybor City (where it opened for Easy Honey less than a year ago), frontman Axel Ellis declared that the best gig he ever saw was more recently than you would think. Read his full comment below.

I’d have to say Alabama Shakes at the Salt Shed in Chicago was one of, if not the best concert I’ve ever seen. It was earlier this year and was their first show back in seven years. The band was just wicked good, and the singer Brittany was an absolute powerhouse, the definition of a star. The intense, raw emotion she and the band conveyed was so inspiring, it just made me want to never stop giving my all in pursuing music as a full-time career. The songwriting was incredible along with the performance, the set ebbed and flowed with lovely dynamic range in all the right places.

It made me want to dive deeper into what a live show can be and how it can leave an audience feeling if done right. I left the show reeling, talking about it for days. It was an experience, not just a bunch of songs stringed together. Writing a good song is one thing, but leaving a crowd feeling empowered and loving life is a whole different ballgame. —Axel Ellis, Ax and The Hatchetmen

Tickets to see Ax and The Hatchetmen play Crowbar Ybor on Friday, Dec. 12 are sold-out, but resale tickets are available starting at $192.30.

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This article appears in Dec. 04 – 10, 2025.

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