LOS ANGELES — Meet the Wayback Daddies.
They are: guitarist and vocalist Steve Altenberg, guitarist Carlos Amato, drummer Jon Lee, bassist Jon Newkirk and lead vocalist/keyboard player Robin Weitz.
They call themselves a “living room band,“ which Weitz formed by putting a call out on the Nextdoor app so he could connect with musicians in the Westchester neighborhood.
“Because that was really something that was important to me,” Weitz said. “To keep it a real local band, so that it was easy for people to get to rehearsals.”
These rockin’ daddies cover favorites from their younger days, stuff like Pink Floyd, Queen, Joe Jackson and even later bands like Green Day. They got together in 2019, starting on the front lawn, then honing their performing chops at nearby venues.
“We’ve been together since then, and all of our tastes in music overlap wonderfully,” Weitz said.
The band has been rehearsing for their upcoming gig at the 37th Los Angeles Marathon, which makes its full return Sunday after pandemic disruptions. They will perform on a flatbed truck at that critical last mile of the marathon’s 26.2 mile route.
Guitarist Carlos Amato said he is looking forward to bringing some energy and spirit not only to the runners sprinting for the finish line but also to the crowds that show up to cheer them on.
“It’s great to see them dance and sing along and so forth,” Amato said. “Yeah, it’s the energy that you get back when you actually play.”
The band rehearses regularly to keep the sound tight and the neighbors don’t seem to mind as The Wayback Daddies practice late into the night.
“The opportunity to perform for thousands of runners for three or four hours is absolutely exhilarating,” Weitz said. “Can’t wait for it.”