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The Runarounds follow their hit TV series with a Raleigh show.
True to their name, The Runarounds like to do things a little out of order. Case in point—most up-and-coming bands don’t precede their U.S. tour by starring in an Amazon Prime series, but that’s how the story is unfolding for the fivesome.
Inspired by the actual band of the same name, The Runarounds, which premiered late last year, is the brainchild of Jonas Pate. The Winston-Salem native and director took note of the group after searching for a band to perform in his previous hit Netflix show Outer Banks. Now, the indie rock group established just five years ago is the centerpiece in the coming-of-age music drama surrounding love, life and indie rock—all filmed in NC to boot.
To top off their success story, the group is hitting the road on a 45-show trip (aptly named The Minivan Tour), including a stop at The Ritz Feb. 21.
Frontman Axel Ellis says their music isn’t just for road-tripping—it’s for any situation that needs a little light. Think “in the car with your friends on the way to somewhere fun or afterwards, yelling the words out loud if you want,” says Ellis. “But really anytime—hiking, running, vacuuming. Whenever you need to smile and enjoy what you are doing a little more.”
Ellis, who also fronts rock group Ax and the Hatchetmen, told RM the overlap between performing and acting was substantial. “The similarities were astounding to me,” notes Ellis. “Our acting coach saw most of us hadn’t acted before, and so he used whatever inspiration he could to get us into an understanding.”
After playing a song, the group would often dive into shooting a scene that emotionally resounded with the atmosphere they’d created. Plus, many of the songs they wrote for the series were based on prompts relating to scenes Pate would give them—so reading the room when it came to acting out the plot came more naturally.
“The timing is the same,” maintains Ellis. “Listening to your friends and knowing when to say something and when not—it’s the same on an instrument. Finding that groove is definitely easier having already played music.
While The Runarounds were running around Wilmington (where the show was filmed), Ellis notes NC was good to the group—they could often be found at Blue Post playing pool, riding bikes to Wrightsville Beach, sipping coffee at Casa Blanca or bellying up to Eternal Sunshine Cafe.
In short, all the quintessential makings of the final pre-adulthood summer that their TV show highlighted—in real life. Catch the same carefree and beachy spirit via a road trip to The Ritz this February, and until then, keep your fingers crossed for a second season out soon.
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